Electronic message filter

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and system for identifying content in an unsent electronic message composed by a sender affiliated with a business, wherein the content is potentially not authorized by the business or potentially harmful to the business. An electronic screening tool is applied to the unsent electronic message prior to transmission of the unsent electronic message from a server, associated with the business, to the recipient. The electronic screening tool is programmed to identify content that is potentially not authorized by the business or potentially harmful to the business. The sender's request to transmit the electronic message to the recipient may be automatically cancelled and/or expunged from the server if the output of the electronic screening tool indicates that the unsent electronic message contains content that is potentially not authorized by the business or potentially harmful to the business. The present invention is also directed to a method for identifying whether a first party is engaging in electronic communications that are potentially harmful to the first party in commercial or residential environments. An electronic screening tool is applied to one or more electronic messages sent or received by the first party. The electronic screening tool is programmed to identify content associated with a situation that is potentially harmful to the first party. An alert message is automatically sent to a second party indicating that the first party may be involved in a situation that is potentially harmful to the first party if the output of the electronic screening tool indicates that the electronic messages contain content associated with a situation that is potentially harmful to the first party.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.