"Disappearing Ink" a/k/a "TigerText" a/k/a "Your cheating heart"

Time Magazine (at Time.com) wrote today:

"Tiger Woods, if you're reading this, remember that you've been through what mothers call a 'valuable learning experience' and you're probably a 'better man for it' and so on. Having said that, an iPhone app that launched on Feb. 25 could totally have saved your hide."

Time writes about an iPhone app that is aptly called TigerText. This app allows users to use virtual "disappearing ink" -- in other words, to set a time limit for a sent text to hang around after it has been read. This is sort of like Mission Impossible. (Am I dating myself here? Yes). "This mission, should you choose to accept it . . . was the message that was delivered on a magnetic tape recording (when did we last see one of those)? The message "will self-destruct in 5 seconds" . . . Ah, but I digress.

TigerText:  According to the developers, when the life span chosen by the iPhone app user has elapsed, the message will disappear, from the recipient's phone, the sender's phone and any servers. They say that the message cannot be forwarded anywhere, stored anywhere or sold to any tabloid for an undisclosed sum. [Oh Kwami . . . where was this app when you really needed it? This is an insider joke for Michigan readers, in particular Detroit Michigan readers, where Kwami Kilpatrick's mayoral tenure was disrupted by interception and dissemination of text messages in court proceedings that led to charges of perjury and resignation of the mayor. (Click image at left for enlargement of one of the incriminating messages.)]

TigerText works like this: when, say, a prominent politician sends his mistress an iPhone message via TigerText, the mistress will be prompted to install the app. When she has done so, she can read the message, but she can't save it. The message, in fact, is never actually sent to her phone; it's stored on TigerText's servers. After the politician's specified time span has elapsed — anywhere from one minute to five days — the message ceases to exist. There's even a "delete on read" setting, which counts down from 60 after a message is opened and erases its text at zero. Now we're really getting into Mission Impossible land!

Some folks might need even more protection. TigerText allows people who feel a real need to cover their tracks a "delete history" option. This tool will erase any evidence of a given phone call. No telltale suspicious numbers, no chance of getting caught out by the old "press redial" routine.

For those out there reading this post who are on the sending side of steamy text messages to non-spouses, obviously there are times when you just shouldn't hit "send." But hey: Paying for TigerText at $2.50 per month, can be pretty cheap stupidity insurance.

See the Times.com article here: TigerText: An iPhone App for Cheating Spouses?

See more interesting tools for family lawyers and those going through divorce here in Jeanne's Toolbox.

For those reading this post whose spouses are cheating . . . here's an oldie but goodie you can send to him or her . . .

Comments

[Timothy P. Flynn]

Jeanne:
Another great post. You are so right. Had Tiger used this, he never would have been caught. On the other hand, from one family law professional to another, don't you think it's good that every now and then, an exposed celebrity cheater does good to shine the light on the ever-present underworld of cheating hearts in our society? Adultery really does erode marriage as a social institution. It threatens the family structure to the core. Just some thoughts.

[Jeff Zoeller]

Communication security is always an important thing for lawyers to keep up on. Not just how their clients communicate with each other and their paramours, but also how clients communicate with their lawyers. Disappearing messages between a lawyer and client would have some benefit for the client in preserving the attorney-client privilege.