Geordie researchers believe that they've discovered a way to determine a person's age, sex and culture by monitoring the speed and rhythm of their typing, according to widespread reports.

Newcastle University's Cybercrime and Computer Security department says the new technology could determine these characteristics in as few as ten keystrokes, and could apparently even be used by law enforcers to track down online fraudsters and paedophiles.

'In general women's typing tends to flow more and is a little quicker. You'd expect men's typing to be a little more heavy-handed and apparently that's the case," the department's Phil Butler is reported as saying.

'We're looking at the application of the research, particularly in relation to internet grooming."

Now, Sneak has nothing against new technologies which could help prevent online fraud, or even worse crimes being committed on the interweb. But Sneak's spider senses begin tingling ever so slightly when he hears about such trials.

Consider if you will those wrongly convicted using faulty DNA evidence, or the queue of irate passengers that always seem to be lined up behind the IRIS scanning machine at Heathrow. Doesn't exactly fill you with confidence, does it?

Sneak isn't sure, but the advent of such technology could mean hell for workplace relationships too. Always thought there was something unsavoury about your colleague? Now listen to his heavy, erratic typing ...

27 Mar 2010