I can't watch the TV news anymore. But there is a technological solution.
Facial-recognition software is approaching commercial viability.
The US Govt FCC has mandated that TVs contain a technology to block violent programs, called the V-chip.
Put these together, and you have something so that the TV news goes black and mute whenever any face that has been identified to the W-chip appears. The news comes back on when he is gone.
It ought to be particularly easy for the software to recognize a politician. They seem to try to be caricatures of themselves.-- farble, Mar 25 2005 The V-chip http://www.fcc.gov/vchip/The FCC has adopted rules requiring all television sets with picture screens 33 centimeters (13 inches) or larger to be equipped with features to block the display of television programming based upon its rating. [farble, Mar 26 2005] A Facial Recognition Software Product http://www.omron.com/news/n_280205.htmlOmron Announces ”OKAO Vision Face Recognition Sensor”, World’s First Face Recognition Technology for Mobile Phones [farble, Mar 26 2005] mens world http://www.telusmobility.com/Feeling colourful but I want Audrey Hepburn's b&w number in My Fair Lady most [mensmaximus, Mar 27 2005] I don't know about the news, but I'd like to see this so I can tune out Joey and Jay Leno.
Before some other yahoo says "why not just turn it off" I say, the automation feature is key to the whole system and I like it! But would it be cheaper than a DVR or Tivo system?-- burnunit, Mar 25 2005 Joey Leno?-- DrCurry, Mar 25 2005 I love the idea of personalized TV experience, although I must plead ignorance of the "W" in W-chip.-- reensure, Mar 25 2005 Personally, I need to filter out George W. Bush. A co-worker came up with the great W-chip name. This is all in the service of managed ignorance, which is like managed risk.-- farble, Mar 25 2005 I see Democrats filtering out Republicans, and Republicans filtering out "liberals", leading to less irritation and anger while watching TV, and a more peaceful America. +-- phundug, Mar 25 2005 Oh, the best I could come up with was "Wannabe". (w) wilted-- reensure, Mar 25 2005 [Facial-recognition software seems to have been perfected ]
If you don't change the camera angle, go from contacts to glasses, shave a mustache or add mascera, that would be considered perfected ?
And while the experience is painful, I do watch and listen, if only for the insights into how his handlers operate.-- normzone, Mar 25 2005 Know your enemy.-- wagster, Mar 25 2005 "The US Govt FCC has mandated that TVs contain a technology to block violent programs" - this IS a joke, isn't it?-- Basepair, Mar 26 2005 Description edited in response to normzone's comment. Links added. See FCC link, no joke.-- farble, Mar 26 2005 "See FCC link, no joke" - I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Your nation has my sympathies.-- Basepair, Mar 26 2005 I heard on HB there's a way to filter authors so you don't have to see these ideas and annos.-- theircompetitor, Mar 27 2005 Whoops! wrong filter, let me just fix that.-- skinflaps, Mar 27 2005 I need a TV filter that turns normal colours to vibrant almost fluorescent green shades. When I see commercials with exotic birds and reptiles, it takes me back to my ancestral roots and I just want to zap a bug with my uncurled tongue like a salamander. Otherwise no complaints. See link.-- mensmaximus, Mar 27 2005 Theircompetitor - //I heard on HB there's a way to filter authors so you don't have to see these ideas and annos// you mean, like, a software implementation of the V-chip?
Anyway, enough of this. Wayyy too depressing.-- Basepair, Mar 27 2005 I would like to point that the filter itself is merely enabling technology and has no political agenda.-- farble, Mar 27 2005 [Farble] //I would like to point that the filter itself is merely enabling technology and has no political agenda/ / Oh, well, that's OK then.-- Basepair, Mar 28 2005 The v-chip is silly, not scary. Efforts by parents to censor what their kids see are not some insidious Orwellian undertaking, but rather a new technology manifestation of an age old attempt by parents to control their kids.-- theircompetitor, Mar 28 2005 Good. God forbid that children should be exposed to "suggestive dialogue".-- Basepair, Mar 28 2005 Basepair, are you suggesting that a parent should not be allowed to make that decision? I'm not sure what point you're trying to make-- theircompetitor, Mar 28 2005 <partial rant> Warning - this annotation contains expressions of opinion and intervals of poor grammar.
I'm just being peevish, I know. Personally, I think it's silly to put censorship technology into a TV, and that parents are over-sensitive about what kids see. Most TVs already have censorship hardware in the form of an off-switch. In the UK (presumably in the US also), there are reasonable guidelines on what can be broadcast at what time (ie, fairly tight guidelines during the day and early evening), with programmes more suitable for adults later at night. It's expected that parents will be responsible for deciding what their kids are allowed to watch, especially after the '9pm watershed'. Certain topics (for example, hardcore pornography) are not permitted at any time on free-to-view TV, as far as I know. I support absolutely the rights of parents to decide what their kids watch, but at the same time I think they should take responsibility for this rather than handing it over to an indiscrimiate chip that has no idea how their child will respond to any particular item. We keep an eye on what our daughter is watching, and if we're in any doubt as to whether it is suitable, we explain why and say 'no' or (if it's marginal) watch it with her. And I'm still puzzled as to what is meant by "suggestive dialogue". The real world is full of much worse things, and you can't chip it all away automatically. <partial rant>-- Basepair, Mar 28 2005 Let's try a little substitution:
I support absolutely the right of parents to know where their kids are. But I think that parents are shirking their responsiblities by giving their kids cellphones, and instead, they should just follow them around wherever they go. Also, installing filters on their browsers is ridiculous, they should rather stand behind their back and see where they're surfing.-- theircompetitor, Mar 28 2005 Back when Clinton was president I really wanted my V-chip to filter out endless discussions of presidential blow-jobs. But alas, the news was not coded with rating information, so the V-chip wouldn't work. That may be the source of this W-chip idea.-- farble, Mar 28 2005 that is the essence of the modern struggle, isn't it? Trying to both get and avoid blowjobs?-- theircompetitor, Mar 28 2005 and explaining it all to your children.-- farble, Mar 28 2005 [Theircompetitor] I appreciate your thoughts, but I was only trying to express what I felt was a reasonable opinion - that parental control is the appropriate means of regulating children's TV-watching. I don't think it is helpful to tell somebody else what they mean, but if you feel that strongly about it then I guess it does no harm. We'll agree to differ, courteously and (I hope) in good spirit.-- Basepair, Mar 28 2005 [Basepair], it's all in good spirit. As I mentioned early on, the v-chip idea is silly. But using it is as voluntary as using the switch. It's another tool, nothing more, no different than blocking certain channels with a password.-- theircompetitor, Mar 29 2005 random, halfbakery