Instant messaging monitoring and alerts

A method of monitoring messages in a communications network to avoid sending a message to an unintended recipient, the method comprising:

• a data processing system identifying, via a topic recognition engine, topics associated with respective first and second instant messaging (IM) sessions;
• the data processing system determining whether a first message in the first IM session is associated with a first pre-defined topic, whether the first pre-defined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the first IM session, and whether the first pre-defined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the second IM session;
• and
• in response to determining that the first message is associated with the first pre-defined topic and that the first-predefined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the second IM session, the data processing system issuing a confirmation request as to whether the first message should be sent to a recipient associated with the first IM session.

A system for monitoring messages in a communication to avoid sending a message to an unintended recipient, the system comprising:

• an instant messaging (IM) module in a communication device, the IM module configured to process first and second entries in a first IM window;
• and
• a keyword match and warning module (KMWM) configured to:
• identify first and second keywords associated respectively with the first and second entries;
• determine whether the first keywords meet a first predetermined comparison threshold when compared to the second keywords;
• and
• issue a warning in response to a determination that the first comparison threshold is not met.

A data processing system for monitoring messages in a communications network to avoid sending a message to an unintended recipient, the data processing system comprising:

• a processor;
• data storage coupled to the processor;
• and
• program code stored within the data storage that, when executed by the processor, causes the data processing system to:
• identify topics associated with first and second IM sessions;
• determine whether a first message in the first IM session is associated with a first pre-defined topic, whether the first pre-defined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the first IM session, and whether the first pre-defined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the second IM session;
• and
• in response to a determination that the first message is associated with the first pre-defined topic and that the first-predefined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the second IM session, issue a confirmation request as to whether the first message should be sent to a recipient associated with the first IM session.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a tangible computer readable storage medium;
• and
• program code stored within the tangible computer readable storage medium, that when executed by a data processing system, enables the data processing system to perform:
• identifying first and second topics associated with respective first and second instant messaging (IM) sessions;
• determining whether a first message in the first IM session is associated with a first pre-defined topic, whether the first pre-defined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the first IM session, and whether the first pre-defined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the second IM session;
• and
• in response to determining that the first message is associated with the first pre-defined topic and that the first-predefined topic matches a topic identified as being associated with the second IM session, issuing a confirmation request as to whether the first message should be sent to a recipient associated with the first IM session.