PROTECTING PRIVACY IN GROUPS E-MAIL MESSAGES

• US 20120158868A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramakrishnan, Raghu, McAFEE, R. Preston
• Application Number:
  US12/973,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158868A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

Protecting privacy in groups e-mails messages. A method includes the step of receiving an e-mail message having one or more intended recipients. The method also includes the step of comparing content of the e-mail message against content of previous e-mail messages. Further, the method includes the step of flagging the e-mail message. In another embodiment, a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium when executed by a processor, performs the method for verifying intended recipients of an e-mail message with anomalous content. In yet another embodiment, a system to verify intended recipients of an e-mail message with anomalous content includes an e-mail interface and a content analyzer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for verifying intended recipients of an e-mail message with anomalous content, comprising:

receiving an e-mail message having one or more intended recipients;

comparing content of the e-mail message against content of previous e-mail messages sent to the one or more intended recipients to identify anomalous content; and

responsive to identifying anomalous content, flagging the e-mail message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing content comprises:

performing a sentiment analysis on the e-mail message content for comparison against sentiment analysis of the previous e-mail messages content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing content comprises:

identifying a subject matter or topic of the e-mail message content for comparison against subject matters or topics of the previous e-mail messages content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing content comprises:

categorizing a tone of the e-mail message content for comparison against tone categorizations of the previous e-mail messages content.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the tone is characterized by one of:

business, formal, social, informal, broadcast, or personal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a histogram of terms or phrases from the previous e-mail messages content,

wherein comparing content comprises estimating a probability that terms or phrases of the e-mail content indicate an anomaly.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein flagging the e-mail message comprises:

querying a user for verification that the e-mail message should be sent.

8. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that when executed by a processor, performs a method for verifying intended recipients of an e-mail message with anomalous content, comprising:

receiving an e-mail message having one or more intended recipients;

comparing content of the e-mail message against content of previous e-mail messages sent to the one or more intended recipients to identify anomalous content; and

responsive to identifying anomalous content, flagging the e-mail message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein comparing content comprises:

performing a sentiment analysis on the e-mail message content for comparison against sentiment analyses of the previous e-mail messages content.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the comparing content comprises:

identifying a subject matter or topic of the e-mail message content for comparison against subject matters or topics of the previous e-mail messages content.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the comparing content comprises:

categorizing a tone of the e-mail message content for comparison against tone categorizations of the previous e-mail messages content.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the tone is characterized by one of:

business, formal, social, informal, broadcast, or personal.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating a histogram of terms or phrases from the previous e-mail messages content,

wherein comparing content comprises estimating a probability that terms or phrases of the e-mail content indicate an anomaly.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein flagging the e-mail message comprises:

querying a user for verification that the e-mail message should be sent.

15. A system for verifying intended recipients of an e-mail message with anomalous content, comprising:

an e-mail interface to receive an e-mail message having one or more intended recipients;

a content analyzer, coupled to the e-mail interface, the content analyzer to compare content of the e-mail message against content of previous e-mail messages sent to the one or more intended recipients to identify anomalous content; and

wherein responsive to identifying anomalous content, the e-mail interface flags the e-mail message.

16. The system of claim 15, the content analyzer performs a sentiment analysis on the e-mail message content for comparison against sentiment analyses of the previous e-mail messages content.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the content analyzer identifies a subject matter or topic of the e-mail message content for comparison against subject matters or topics of the previous e-mail messages content.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the content analyzer categorizes a tone the e-mail message content for comparison against tone categorizations of the previous e-mail messages content.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the tone is characterized by one of:

business, formal, social, informal, broadcast, or personal.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the content analyzer generates a histogram of terms or phrases from the previous e-mail messages content, and estimates a probability that terms or phrases of the e-mail content indicate an anomaly.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the e-mail interface queries a user for verification that the e-mail message should be sent.