NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Apple patent would disable phone based on location
Apple patent would disable phone based on location http://j.mp/PZNegI (NBC) "Among a bevy of patents awarded to Apple this week was one that would enable or disable certain features of a phone depending on its location. It could be useful, but it also raises serious questions about who really owns your device." - - - A lot of ideas are patented but never used. Anyway, without reading the patent in detail, I'd note there are a variety of apps (that probably postdate the patent application) that do this already. One problem with any attempt to enforce such a regime is that you need everyone to have phones carrying the capability, and you have to be ready for the litigation exposure if (for example) an important call or message is blocked by such a system. It doesn't take much imagination to think of a bunch of other exposure examples as well. --Lauren-- Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com): http://www.vortex.com/lauren Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info Founder: - Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org - PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info - Data Wisdom Explorers League: http://www.dwel.org - Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance: http://www.gctip.org Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com Google+: http://vortex.com/g+lauren / Twitter: http://vortex.com/t-lauren Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com _______________________________________________ nnsquad mailing list http://lists.nnsquad.org/mailman/listinfo/nnsquad