Some researchers from a university in UK have developed an app that can be used to identify if an adult is pretending to be a child by analyzing patterns in their text messages. Aptly called Child Defence, the app allows children to scan webchats on their smartphones to check the age of the people they are chatting with. Child Defence uses advanced language analysis technology to pick up the clues found in the language used by people of different age groups – this will allow the app users to tell if who they’re talking to really is the age they claim to be. This technology was previously possible, but only by using powerful servers. Thanks to advances in today’s technology, smartphones are now more than capable of running such software. Child Defence is currently undergoing the final stages of testing and will be released for free as apps for the iPhone, Android and Nokia phones. Obviously this won’t be a replacement for parental supervision, but it does help kids to spot imitators on their own. Unless of course, the imitators have been practicing really hard and know how the software works and what words not to use. Would you find such an app useful?
