dariusperkins’ blog

Checking my feeds in Google Reader, I read this on Valleywag:

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted Microsoft a patent, first applied for in 2004, on technology to censor profanity — or any keywords off a list — from an audio stream in real time. This technology could be applied not just to online video like YouTube but also for cell-phone audio and internet chat.

What the fuck, man?

As an English graduate, grammarian and all-round language-botherer, this really doesn’t sit right with me. People have the right to express themselves however they deem fit, be they kids, teenagers or adults.

Wanna say “fuck”? Scream it from the highest building; throw a couple of “cunt”, “bastard” and “arseholes” in there too. Shout it at everyone; even grannies. Fuck you MS.

More’s the point: language is organic, and will always develop and express itself – restrictions will just direct its development: be that through abbreviations, new words, or simply circumnavigating a thought.

Today’s swearwords weren’t always directly offensive, as this Wiki entry on streets in England and Ireland called Gropecunt Lane will testify. Not swearing is originally one of the Ten Commandments – ‘do not take my name in vain’ – wonder if they’ll blacklist that one.

Now that we actually live in the future, witness the introduction in chat and commenting of “tw@”, “lmao”, “f you”, “wtf” – yeah, they’re abbreviated, but the sense is the same, surely what censoring is designed to combat? In time, these may be just as offensive. In fact, aren’t we already seeing a seismic shift in attitudes to swearing? English attitudes to traditional swearwords are definitely more relaxed, yet, call someone a ‘paedo’ and see how they react.

OK, maybe Microsoft are just protecting their ideas with patents, but should they?

Haven’t they seen Jurassic Park? Nature will find a way.

And then we’ll all get eaten by raptors.

*update*

Someone at Wired has blogged about this too, perhaps a little more pragmatically.