- Apple has patented technology that could be used by parents to prevent their kids from sending sexually explicit text messages -- or "sexting."
The technology, which has not been commercialized, would let a phone's administrator block an iPhone from sending or receiving texts with certain words.
Messages containing blocked material either would not be received or would have the objectionable content redacted. 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.
The patent, awarded Tuesday, does not address the sending or receiving of explicit images.
The U.S. patent, which Apple filed for in January 2008, could also turn these filters into educational tools, according to the patent document.
Parents of kids who are studying Spanish, for example, could be required to send a certain number of messages per month in that language, according to the document. If kids did not meet the foreign language quota, their texting privileges could be automatically revoked until they send more Spanish-language text messages.
Grammarians may cheer this innovation. The texting interface also could prod kids toward better grammar, requiring them to identify and fix spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes before sending a message.
So maybe the Apple texting tool will be the end of LOL-speak.
Apple says old methods of monitoring and controlling text communications on phones have largely failed. Allowing kids to communicate only with a pre-set list of phone numbers or e-mail addresses is limiting, the patent document says, and does not address the content of the mobile phone communications, which Apple says is more important.
Other methods of filtering only block certain expletives, Apple says, instead of trying to recognize the overall offensiveness of a message and comparing that to a kid's age and learning level.
The blog TechCrunch asks if the patent will be the end of sexting:
"Yes and no," Alexia Tsotsis writes on that blog, "as those interesting in 'sexting' will probably find some clever workaround to express how much they want to bang, screw, hit it or a myriad of other words that don't immediately set off the censorship sensors."
The Daily Mail in the UK writes that this anti-sexting news "will be music to the ears of Tiger Woods. Or Ashley Cole, or Vernon Kay for that matter," referring to sexting scandals involving those celebrities.
It's unclear exactly how this technology would be incorporated into Apple's iPhone products, but it would appear to work through the phone's built-in text-messaging application. Other texting apps aim to prevent texting while driving and let iPhone users send text messages without incurring charges from AT&T, the mobile carrier that has exclusive rights to the iPhone in the U.S.

Looks like fkk, chit, jeepin' and tight paths will become more popular.

How about just telling or showing your kids how lame that is?

It's cute that you think that's possible.

I was sort of being facetious.

It's not like you can keep anyone from doing anything they want to do if they really want to do it as was mentioned already.

It would be pretty cool if the software could recognise what you're doing...and then send that to your grandmother or something.

How about just setting up software that picks texts at random and forwards them to your folks. You never know which one they might get.

I was thinking about this and am actually pretty surprised that there isnt already that kind of service tied to parental controls, that just makes all the texts available to the parents.

It must be possible to get a list of texts. One of our state's bigwig State Troopers got fired for sending sexy texts to his married secretary. The news had a whole list of every text he ever sent.

This is why kids are fucked. The Internet and texts are forever. The part of the brain that can figure out the consequences of that isn't fully developed until 30 or something.

What chance does a kid stand if the head of the NC State Troopers doesn't get that? Jesus, that dimwit used his work phone!

I use a pre paid disposable phone and discard it every 5 weeks and get a new one.

5 weeks? Avon Barksdale would be disappointed.

And that is the point of education. We have to at least mention to kids, that the internet or text messaging is forever. At least if they hear that enough they might think a bit before texting pictures of thier junk....

That seems like a terriffic Idea after 5 shots of tequila... but once its in the either anyone could have it.