Google, the creators of some of the most useful internet tools (not including Google+), have been granted a US patent for a system which would block spoilers of movies and TV shows posted on social media until you’re up to date.

The system would be integrated with streaming services and monitor your progress in a particular series or film and then selectively block any social media posts that the system determines contain spoilers.

In the patent Google describes the system like this:

“The disclosure includes a system and method for processing content spoilers. The system includes a controller, a progress module, a determination module, a warning module and a presentation module. The controller receives activity data describing an activity performed by a first user and content data published by a second user. The progress module determines a first progress stage for a subject associated with the activity based at least in part on the activity data. The determination module determines whether the content data includes a spoiler for the first user based at least in part on the first progress stage. Responsive to the determination that the content data includes the spoiler, the warning module obscures the content data published by the second user from the first user and generates a spoiler warning. The presentation module provides the spoiler warning to the first user.”

Basically this means that the potential system would obscure posts and warn you when you attempt to view a post that it believes contains spoilers, allowing you to choose to have your favourite show spoiled if you’re that kind of masochist.

As with all patents, there is no guarantee that Google will actually develop the product. But now they own the idea, you can live in the hope that one day you will never have Game of Thrones spoiled for you again.

[Via.]

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