There is no doubt that Apple’s patent approval is raising plenty of questions among many users of smart phones –monitoring mobile phone text messages for allegedly explicit or sexual content may seem like the best way for parents to prevent their children from texting, but how far does the technology truly go?
The one issue about smart phones and other forms of technology that can access the internet is that there is simply no easy way to put a child lock on things. Passwords, firewalls, commercial software, all of these things have ways to be circumvented, and with the younger generation being more in tune with computers than their own parents, any such methods turn into mere time and energy wasters.
So are we happy with the new text monitor patent for Apple?
The concern is more about how the Cupertino based company will be applying the patent. While being able to check content for certain key words or phrases, this technology can also be used for other purposes as well such as data mining or in malicious intentions, data theft.
The fact is, censorship has its place and with mobile phones, there is no sense trying to put a child safety lock on anything at all. Just as the internet cannot be bridled or constrained, the same is to be said with mobile phone use. It is up to parents and educators to teach and discipline the younger generation so that they are prepared to handle and access whatever content they have on their devices.
In the meanwhile, Apple is still pushing forward with it’s no porn puritan motto, and many are not impressed. An obvious double standard is faced by many small developers as apps from Playboy are still present, showing that Apple’s stand is not as concrete as it seems.
Tags: Apple, Apps, cencorship