Life in the internet age can be filled with paranoia. Even if precautions are taken to sext safely, there’s no denying that the fear of nudes getting leaked is a very real problem for many.
To make sure that your naked bod doesn’t end up on a creepy stranger’s phone or show up in dark corners of the web, one Japanese phone company went the extra mile with the ultimate weapon against leaked nudes. It’s so foolproof, it won’t even let you take naked selfies.
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Manufactured by Tone Mobile, the Tone e20 smartphone contains a Smartphone Protection feature that detects when users are trying to take an inappropriate photo. The camera then locks itself from clicking and the picture can neither be taken nor saved. A notification that says “Photo not taken due to inappropriate content” also appears on the screen.
The parameters of what constitutes an “inappropriate photo” is not specified by Tone Mobile, but it did clarify that naked selfies are a no-go under Smartphone Protection.
This doesn’t mean that Tone Mobile is against consensual sexting, as the feature can be disabled by adult users. The Smartphone Protection feature is actually meant to protect underage users who may be coerced or scammed into sending nudes. According to the CEO of Tone Mobile, Atsuki Ishida, the purpose of this novel feature is to “ensure children can use their smartphones safely,” the Asahi Shimbun reported.
Parents may choose to connect their phones to their child’s Tone e20 via an app. They will then be notified if the user attempts to take an inappropriate photo. The time and location where the photo was taken will be available to parents, as well as a blurred version of the picture. According to Sora News 24, Tone Mobile claims that the photo will be discarded after the notification is sent.
Retailing at 21,780 yen ($198), the Tone e20 belongs to a category of smartphones called kakiyasu, which contain smartphone features but are priced affordably.
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