Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

This Text Message Will Self Destruct

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the should-you-choose-to-accept-it dept.

mwilliamson writes "Silicon.com is reporting that Staellium UK (cell provider) has created a protocol in which text messages disappear after 40 seconds. This, of course, relies on the implementation of the protocol in the device used to display the message. They're touting a future roll out for photos as well, and service in the US."

7 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. Does anyone see a different story? by dada21 · · Score: 5, Interesting


    For me, the first thing that comes to mind from "self destructing SMS" is the advertising potential. Combined with a locator, you could now receive "Eat at Wendy's!" messages that expire so you don't have to delete them.

    I don't really see it happening, but advertising in the old markets (TV, radio, newsprint) is not returning as big of a response as it used to. They'll always try to find more direct ways to advertise, and I wouldn't be surprised if this move is a predecessor to more direct advertising schemes.

    Hopefully I'll be able to opt-in rather than opt-out of any such programs.

    FWIW, I just can't imagine that people are SMS'ing proprietary information. If its private and confidential, keep it on paper (preferably typed with a typewriter). Digital information will always be too insecure.

    1. Re:Does anyone see a different story? by metlin · · Score: 4, Interesting

      FWIW, I just can't imagine that people are SMS'ing proprietary information. If its private and confidential, keep it on paper (preferably typed with a typewriter). Digital information will always be too insecure.

      Oh, no. You'd be surprised.

      At a certain national lab I used to work at, people used to SMS system login information - of course, the presence of additional security (e.g. a Cryptocard which is basically like an RSA random number generator tag) minimized the risks of someone breaking into the system, but you'd be surprised.

    2. Re:Does anyone see a different story? by dada21 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I definitely agree there is a balance between security and ease-of-use. I personally keep all my confidential data on a portable hard drive, and it is fairly insecure. Nothing I have is really all that important to me.

      For people who have unique security needs, though, I am surprised that they'd need to have SMS messages deleted. If someone sends you proprietary information through SMS, how hard is it to just delete it yourself? Why is 40 seconds picked over 30 seconds or 80 seconds? The idea that a company is spending R&D on this is bizarre to me. Why not just make a new SMS standard option called "Delete in X seconds" instead of making one preset timing?

    3. Re:Does anyone see a different story? by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Interesting
      Oh, no. You'd be surprised.

      At a certain national lab I used to work at, people used to SMS system login information - of course, the presence of additional security (e.g. a Cryptocard which is basically like an RSA random number generator tag) minimized the risks of someone breaking into the system, but you'd be surprised.

      Indeed. I know if I walk around my office, I'm forced to conclude that probably 10-20% of all of our corporate communications are happening over MSN and Yahoo IM networks.

      It seems everyone uses these wonderfully convenient things without ever stopping to realize that all of their data is travelling over someone else's network and that they have no control over it. I wouldn't be at all surprised that you could probably violate insider laws at dozens of companies just by being able to intercept MSN's traffic.

      I complain about it frequently (I won't use MSN) but nobody seems to care that all of our internal decision making is way more public than we'd like to think. And this seems to travel from board-level down to the rest of us plebes -- it's almost become the defacto method of commincations.

      Scary stuff, but people will use third party technologies for the damndest things without giving it a second thought.

      Cheers
      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  2. Where article's $protocol = WAP (linked in txtmsg) by hattig · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I thought the text message got routed to their servers, and the receiver got a message with a link to the wap site. they'd then get sent to the wap site to see the text message, and the wap site would redirect or do something after 40 seconds to remove it from the viewer's screen. Standard http redirect?

  3. Terrorists will love it by TomDLux · · Score: 2, Interesting

    But security agencies will require the company to archive all messages for five years ... or is it ten?

    Tom

  4. There's a 16-year old out there by DrewCapu · · Score: 2, Interesting

    who wishes it were available for use earlier this month.

    Clearly, this is a bad idea.

    All it will result in is more cyber-bullying, among other things.