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If You Can't Control Your Emotions, Your Computer Will

Software can analyze the feelings in words

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted May 9, 2009 4:04 PM CDT

(Newser) – All you naughty Newser commenters, take note: Software developers are readying an algorithm to glean the human emotions in text and possibly censor inappropriate online discussions, New Scientist reports. So far, the biggest users of such pricey “sentiment analysis” tools are companies looking to gauge consumer reaction to brand-name products.

One firm, using the software to examine Twitter responses to Amazon’s announcement of a new Kindle, found that 89% of 1,500 messages were neutral, 7% positive, and 4% negative. Such software could also warn job seekers to smarten up their resumés or help singles optimize their online profiles. The software will soon be widely available, so be careful how you respond below.

A new kind of agent is starting to roam the web that can understand the emotional content of what we write.
A new kind of agent is starting to roam the web that can understand the emotional content of what we write.   (Shutter Stock)
A new kind of agent is starting to roam the web that can understand the emotional content of what we write.
A new kind of agent is starting to roam the web that can understand the emotional content of what we write.   (Shutter Stock)
A new kind of agent is starting to roam the web that can understand the emotional content of what we write.
A new kind of agent is starting to roam the web that can understand the emotional content of what we write.   (Shutter Stock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Nwambe
May 11, 2009 2:42 AM CDT
Speaking of changing topics, what do y'all think of the Phoenix Coyotes?
atris999
May 11, 2009 2:06 AM CDT
It's common knowledge that the topic at hand on any given thread always changes course after the fourth post
kokuaguy
May 10, 2009 7:56 AM CDT
Newser's tolerant policies for expletives and name calling is one of the reasons it's so highly successful. People wanted to be treated like adults, even when they're behaving like spoiled brats.

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