Apple Patents Parental Filter To Block Objectionable Content In Text Messages

Parents will probably be happy to hear that Apple has been granted a patent for a system that prevents users from sending or receiving objectionable text messages. The patent is titled “Text-based communication control for personal communication device”, which aims to solve a problem that there is no way to monitor and control text communications to make them user appropriate, which obviously applies to children who may send or receive parentally objectionable messages. The patent will evaluate whether the communication contains approved text based on factors such as the user’s age or grade level, and if the red light (figuratively) goes off, it can prevent such text from being included in the communication. Of course, kids being kids, they’ll probably find a way around it fast enough, but let’s see what will come out of this interesting cat and mouse game.

Matthew Chung
Categories: Apple, Cellphones
Tags: Apple Inc, apple patent, Patent