Apple Patents New Censorship Technology: Encore to Big Bro Status?
Apple, quite notorious for having a bit too much control over its products’ content than some would favor, has recently patented technology which would enable an even more advanced means of filtering communications on its devices.
As reported here, this anti-sexting multifunctional parenting ‘innovation’ will be able to measure a message’s propriety in relation to the monitored child’s age and learning level, block or dispose individual naughty words more effectively and even serve educational purposes, such as a forcing senders to grammatically correct their messages before sending them.
“Unlike other text blockers, Apple’s version would also be able to filter content based on a child’s grade level and claims to filter abbreviated words that maybe missed by other programs…Apple says old methods of monitoring and controlling text communications on phones have largely failed.”
The technology, featuring additional filtering mechanisms even capable of obligating an individual to send a certain amount of texts in a certain language before having his or her dose of preferred communications has potential, but not necessarily in the good sense of the word.
In addition to child monitoring, Apple also has a strict control over the sanction of apps aimed for adult use, but with the mobile wars in its peak, it was forced to loosen its polices up a bit in order to stay ahead of Android, or at least nearby. People don’t like to be told what to do, and loopholes will be there regardless of any effort by the iGiant, especially when it comes to the teen demographic.
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