From frightening movie scenes to unnerving news clips, digital content often takes us by surprise, toying with our emotions and sometimes inciting stress or anxiety. A new invention, filed under patent number US11775847B2 by KPN Innovations, aims to solve this problem. The patent, titled "Systems and methods for classifying media according to user negative propensities," has reignited interest and hope surrounding personalization features in the digital world.
Working in the digital age presents its unique set of challenges. Unexpected and unwelcome content can appear on screens, causing discomfort to users. The abundant flow of media through numerous channels makes it difficult to filter or predict parts that might be too much to take for some users.
KPN's recently patented technology comes as a potential game-changer. Drawing on the field of artificial intelligence, this system can classify media elements based on an individual's dislikes. Say you have a dinosaur phobia, this tool, incorporated in KPN Personalized Content Filter, can prevent videos of 'scary dinosaurs' from popping up on your screen. It does so by observing user behavior and having a recognize-first, block-second approach towards discomforting content.
The innovation couldn't have been timelier. As the news and entertainment sectors gravitate more towards shock value to gain viewership, KPN's invention could provide individuals with some control over what they are exposed to, alleviating unnecessary stress. For the parents worried about their children's exposure to unsettling content, to the senior citizen who prefers their news without distressing images, the technology holds promising implications.
Post this invention, the world where unwanted content unexpectedly pops up on screens could become a thing of the past. Consider an everyday example: While watching a nature documentary, chances of running into a disturbing scene decreases as KPN Personalized Content Filter scans the content according to your preferences. It goes without saying that tasteful exclusion of such elements will lead to a better and safer internet experience.
In a nutshell, KPN is among the pioneers hoping to navigate the delicate balance between freedom of expression in media and user comfort with their patented system. Considering how it is just a patent filing, it is important to note that it may take quite some time before we see this technology in our everyday applications, if at all.
P.S. A patent is a mere blueprint of a potential product. Although it harbors exciting possibilities, there is no guarantee that it will materialize into a market-ready solution.
Figures from the patent documents provide a deeper understanding of the systems in place to classify media. They illustrate the various entities involved, such as a biological marker database and user database, that work collectively to observe and learn about user behavior and preferences. These databases and algorithms conceptualized are components of a larger vision—a computing system aimed to revolutionize how we interact with digital content.