Parental control of mobile message content

An article of manufacture comprising programming instructions stored on a non-transitory machine readable storage medium, the programming instructions executable by a computer of a multimedia messaging service center (MMSC) to configure the MMSC to perform functions including functions to:

• receive a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message for delivery through a wireless mobile communication network;
• determine that the MMS message is addressed for delivery to a mobile station of a minor;
• send a notification through the wireless mobile communication network to a terminal device of an adult associated with the mobile station of the minor that the MMS message is available for retrieval;
• receive a delivery request from the terminal device of the adult through the wireless mobile communication network for the MMS message, responsive to the notification;
• send the MMS message through the wireless mobile communication network to the terminal device of the adult associated with the mobile station of the minor, to make content of the MMS message available to the adult for review, responsive to the delivery request;
• after sending the MMS message to the terminal device of the adult, receive a response through the wireless mobile communication network from the terminal device of the adult, the response including a status indication of whether to authorize delivery of the MMS message to the mobile station of the minor;
• determine from the status indication of the response whether or not the adult has authorized delivery of the MMS message to the mobile station of the minor;
• and
• send the MMS message through the wireless mobile communication network to the mobile station of the minor only upon determining that the adult has authorized delivery of the MMS message to the mobile station of the minor.

A multimedia messaging service center (MMSC) comprising:

• an interface for communication through a wireless mobile communication network with a mobile station of a minor and a terminal device of an adult associated with the mobile station of the minor;
• and
• a processor coupled to the interface and configured to:
• receive a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message for deliver through the wireless mobile communication network,
• determine that the MMS message is addressed for delivery to the mobile station of the minor,
• send a notification through the wireless mobile communication network to the terminal device of the adult associated with the mobile station of the minor that the MMS message is available for retrieval,
• receive a delivery request from the terminal device of the adult through the wireless mobile communication network for the MMS message, responsive to the notification,
• send the MMS message through the wireless mobile communication network to the terminal device of the adult associated with the mobile station of the minor, to make content of the MMS message available to the adult for review, responsive to the delivery request,
• after sending the MMS message to the terminal device of the adult, receive a response through the wireless mobile communication network from the terminal device of the adult, the response including a status indication of whether to authorize delivery of the MMS message to the mobile station of the minor,
• determine from the status indication of the response whether or not the adult has authorized delivery of the MMS message to the mobile station of the minor, and
• send the MMS message through the wireless mobile communication network to the mobile station of the minor only upon determining that the adult has authorized delivery of the MMS message to the mobile station of the minor.