Method and system for reputation evaluation of online users in a social networking scheme

• US 20060042483A1
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Work, James Duncan, Hoffman, Reid, Blue, Allen
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/91
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A method and system for evaluating the reputation of a member of a social networking system is disclosed. Consistent with an embodiment of the invention, one or more attributes associated with a social networking profile of a member of a social network are analyzed. Based on the analysis, a ranking, rating or score is assigned to a particular category of reputation. When requested, the ranking, rating or score is displayed to a user of the social network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating the reputation of a first member of a social networking system, the method comprising:

analyzing an attribute associated with a social networking profile of the first member, the attribute relevant to an aspect of the reputation of the first member;

based on the analysis of the attribute associated with the social networking profile, assigning a rating to the attribute, and

causing the rating to be displayed when a request is received to view the social networking profile of the first member.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the rating against a threshold score; and

causing the rating to be displayed only if the rating exceeds the threshold score.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating the rating with one or more other ratings to arrive at an aggregate score, each rating assigned to an attribute of the social networking profile, and each attribute relevant to an aspect of the reputation of the first member; and

causing the aggregate score to be displayed when a request is received to view the social networking profile of the first member.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

comparing the aggregate score against an aggregate threshold score; and

causing the aggregate score to be displayed only if the aggregate score exceeds the aggregate threshold score.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the aggregate score represents a measure of reputation based on endorsements received by the first member from other users of the social networking system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating represents the number of positive endorsements the first member has received from other members of the social networking system.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating represents the number of positive, sealed endorsements the first member has received from other members of the social networking system.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on whether the first member has indicated a preference for allowing sealed endorsements.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the aggregate score represents a measure of reputation based on activity of the first member within the social networking system.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on the number of mutual direct connections the first member has established with other members of the social networking system.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on the number of invitations to establish a mutual direct connection the first member has received from other members of the social networking system.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on the percentage of the number of invitations to establish a mutual direct connection the first member has received from other members of the social networking system that the first member has accepted.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on the number of invitations to establish a mutual direct connection the first member has sent to other users of the social networking system.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on the percentage of the number of invitations to establish a mutual direct connection the first member has sent to other users of the social networking system that have been accepted.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on one of:

the number of requests for contact received by the first member, or the percentage of the number of requests for contact received by the first member that are accepted by the first member.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on one of:

the number of requests for contact sent by the first member, or the percentage of the number of requests for contact sent by the first member that are accepted by the receiving member.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one rating is based on one of:

the number of requests to forward a request for contact sent by the first member, the percentage of the number of requests to forward a request for contact received by the first member that are forwarded by the first member, the number of requests forwarded by the first member that are forwarded by the receiving member, or the percentage of the number of requests forwarded by the first member that are forwarded by the receiving member.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein analyzing an attribute of a social networking profile of each member who has provided an endorsement for the first member includes determining a reputation score for each member who has provided an endorsement for the first member, and aggregating the reputation score for each member who has provided an endorsement for the first member to arrive at an aggregate endorsement reliability score for the first member.

19. A computer-implemented method for communicating a reputation indicator, the method comprising:

receiving a request to view information associated with a first member of a social networking system; and

displaying a reputation indicator reflecting a measure of reputation for the first member for a particular pre-defined category of reputation.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

prior to displaying the reputation indicator, analyzing the first member'"'"'s network, as defined by the social networking system, to determine a rating for the measure of reputation; and

based on the rating, selecting a reputation indicator for display.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein analyzing the first member'"'"'s network to determine a rating for the measure of reputation includes calculating a number of mutual direct connections the first member has established with other members of the social networking system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the reputation indicator indicates a numerical range in which the number of mutual direct connections the first member has established is included.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein analyzing the first member'"'"'s network to determine a rating for the measure of reputation includes calculating a total number of connections the first member has established.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the reputation indicator indicates a numerical range in which the total number of connections the first member has established is included.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

prior to displaying the reputation indicator, analyzing endorsements received by the first member to determine a rating for the measure of reputation; and

based on the rating, selecting a reputation indicator for display.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein analyzing endorsements received by the first member to determine a rating for the measure of reputation includes calculating a number of positive endorsements received by the first member from other users of the social networking system.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the reputation indicator indicates a numerical range in which the number of positive endorsements received by the first member is included.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein analyzing endorsements received by the first member to determine a rating for the measure of reputation includes calculating a number of positive sealed endorsements received by the first member from other users of the social networking system.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the reputation indicator indicates a numerical range in which the number of positive sealed endorsements received by the first member is included.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein analyzing endorsements received by the first member to determine a rating for the measure of reputation includes determining whether the first member has indicated a preference for receiving sealed endorsements from other users of the social networking system.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the reputation indicator indicates whether the first member has indicated a preference for receiving sealed endorsements from other users of the social networking system.

32. A social networking system hosted by at least one server, said server comprising:

a reputation system to analyze an attribute associated with a social networking profile of a first member, the attribute relevant to an aspect of the reputation of the first member, and to assign a numerical score to the attribute based on the analysis of the attribute associated with the social networking profile.