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Using AI to Monitor Kids Online

Posted by Zonk on from the ok-yeah-sigh-think-of-the-children dept.

eldavojohn writes "An Australian startup believes that the best way to protect your children online is through an artificially intelligent software program. The inventors of this idea are banking on children's attachment to pets. The creature's 'cuteness' and helpfulness will ingratiate the software with the child, so that he or she will respect it and listen to it, or even find it as a likable companion. Agent-based internet applications are nothing new but for concerned parents, this might be an admirable solution to what is perceived by many to be a growing problem. From one of the inventors: 'Of course, we're also planning to release a version of the Moji IM for teenagers and adults, but we're focusing on children at the moment.'"

6 of 230 comments (clear)

  1. Kids are smarter than AI by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 5, Funny

    AI: Todd ...
    Kid: Yes, ComputerKat?
    AI: Are you surfing a smutty web site? Purr.....
    Kid: Nooooooooooo... I'm just going to a site about the *pig* named Babe.
    AI: Hm ... it *looks* like a smutty website.
    Kid: Come on, ComputerKat, give me a little credit. If I were going to a smutty website, I wouldn't go to one that *looked* like a smutty website. I'd go to one that I could pass off as being related to a kiddie movie!
    AI: Oh, okay ... just checking. Purrrr.....
    Kid: *stupid AI...*

    (courtesy South Park ladder-to-heaven episode)

    --
    Apology to Ubuntu forum.
  2. How clever is the AI? by DeeVeeAnt · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not very, but it easily surpasses the kind of parent that needs one.

    --
    Home fucking is killing prostitution.
    1. Re:How clever is the AI? by SNR+monkey · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You were (mostly) modded funny, but you make a very good point. Many times when I hear "think of the children!!" arguments, I conclude that the situation wouldn't be a problem if the parents were ACTUALLY PARENTING. I know that parents can't watch their children 24/7, but this just seems like it is making it easier for parents to sit their children in front of some box (computer instead of TV this time) and take a minimalistic approach to parenting.

  3. Look to the past... by Jaqenn · · Score: 5, Funny

    The creature's 'cuteness' and helpfulness will ingratiate the software with the child, so that he or she will respect it and listen to it, or even find it as a likable companion. Worked great for MS Office, right?
    --
    You are awash in a sea of fiercely stated opinions. Obvious exits are: 'File->Quit', 'Reply', and 'Page Down'.
  4. Hmm... by mcwidget · · Score: 5, Funny

    "If you stop interacting with it for several months, it'll begin to deteriorate and eventually die," he said Way to get round the monitoring then...

    In the future, perhaps Moji pets - with their artificial intelligence and ability to understand what users say - may be able to help Sarah do her homework more efficiently as well. Or as we used to say, cheat.
  5. Subscription fee keeps Moji healthy by Time_Ngler · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Fong said that the company is banking on this attachment to keep users shelling out the monthly subscription fee for the service because failing to do so will result in the pet dying.


    If this doesn't show the cold dark heart of a corporation that peddles to children, then I don't know what does.