PROVIDING TARGETED MESSAGES VIA A SOCIAL MEDIA SYSTEM WHILE CONCEALING TIES TO THE MESSAGE SOURCE

• US 20140245182A1
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: CARBONELL, LEE A., CHENG, TSZ S., EDGINGTON, JEFFREY L., MARIADOSS, PANDIAN
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A method for electronically providing targeted messages can begin when a source-concealing targeted messaging system receives data items provided by a source user that define a targeted message that is to be presented within a social media context. The data items can include a set of recipients, a message body, and a set of trigger conditions indicating when the targeted message is to be presented to the recipients. The recipients can be members of a contact list of the source user within the social media system providing the social media context. Satisfaction of the trigger conditions can be monitored and the social media system can be monitored recipients. When the trigger conditions are satisfied and a recipient is currently using the social media system, the targeted message can be presented within a user interface of the social media system, such that the source user appears unaffiliated with the targeted message.

Claims

1. A method for electronically providing targeted messages comprising:

receiving of a plurality of data items that define a targeted message that is to be presented within a social media context by a source-concealing targeted messaging system, wherein the plurality of data items are provided by a source user of the source-concealing targeted messaging system, wherein said plurality of data items comprises at least a set of at least one recipient, a message body, and a set of at least one trigger condition indicating when the targeted message is to be presented to the set of at least one recipient, wherein the source user and the set of at least one recipient are members of a social media system providing the social media context, wherein the at least one recipient is a member of a contact list of the source user within the social media system;

monitoring the at least one trigger condition of the targeted message for satisfaction and the social media system for presence of the at least one recipient; and

when the at least one trigger condition is satisfied and a recipient contained in the set of at least one recipient is currently active within the social media system, presenting the message body of the targeted message to the recipient within a user interface of the social media system, wherein an affiliation of the source user with the targeted message is concealed from the recipient in said presentation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving of the plurality of data items further comprises:

receiving a selection of the social media system to be used for the social media context;

requesting and receiving login data for the social media system from the source user;

establishing a communications pathway with the social media system using the received login data;

accessing the contact list of the source user; and

presenting the contact list within a user interface of the source-concealing targeted messaging system, wherein the set of at least one recipient is selected by the source user from the presented contact list.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving of the plurality of data items further comprises:

analyzing the message body for at least one of hostile, inappropriate, or inflammatory content and malicious code; and

when said analysis identifies at least one of hostile, inappropriate, or inflammatory content and malicious code within the message body, rejecting the message body for the targeted message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving of the plurality of data items further comprises:

receiving via a provided input mechanism a command to include a reference to information from an external data source within the message body;

checking a validity of the reference; and

when the reference is determined to be valid, incorporating the reference into the message body.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the external data source is an online provider of a product or a service, wherein said reference is at least one of a Web page depicting the product or service and a data collection of at least one product or service previously selected by the source user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving of the plurality of data items further comprises:

storing the targeted message in a data store of the source-concealing targeted messaging system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the targeted message is presented in an area of the user interface of the social media system that is commonly used for advertisements.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating metrics data regarding interactions of the set of at least one recipient with the targeted message; and

generating a variety of reports based upon the aggregated metrics data.

9. A system for electronically providing targeted messages comprising:

a social media system having a user interface; and

a source-concealing targeted messaging system configured to utilize the social media system as a delivery vehicle to present a targeted message created by a source user to a set of at least one recipient, wherein the source user and the set of at least one recipient are members of the social media system, wherein the at least one recipient is a member of a contact list of the source user within the social media system, wherein an affiliation of the source user with the targeted message is concealed from the set of at least one recipient when presented.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the source-concealing targeted messaging system further comprises:

a user interface configured to be an input mechanism for the source user to interact with the source-concealing targeted messaging system, wherein said user interface captures data defining the targeted message, wherein said data comprises at least the set of at least one recipient, a message body, and a set of at least one trigger condition indicating when the targeted message is to be presented to the set of at least one recipient.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the set of at least one trigger condition comprises at least a date to begin presentation of the targeted message, a date to terminate presentation of the targeted message, and a frequency for presenting the targeted message.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the source-concealing targeted messaging system further comprises:

a message handler configured to facilitate presentation of the targeted message via the social media system, wherein the message handler provides with the social media system with the targeted message that is to be presented; and

a report component configured to aggregate metrics data regarding interactions of the set of at least one recipient with the targeted message and generate a variety of reports based upon the aggregated metrics data.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

at least one external data source configured to provide information directly incorporated into or reference within the targeted message.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the external data source is an online provider of a product or a service, wherein said reference is at least one of a Web page depicting the product or service and a data collection of at least one product or service previously selected by the source user.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the targeted message is presented in an area of the user interface of the social media system that is commonly used for advertisements.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising:

computer usable program code configured to receive a plurality of data items that define a targeted message that is to be presented within a social media context, wherein the plurality of data items are provided by a source user, wherein said plurality of data items comprises at least a set of at least one recipient, a message body, and a set of at least one trigger condition indicating when the targeted message is to be presented to the set of at least one recipient, wherein the source user and the set of at least one recipient are members of a social media system providing the social media context, wherein the at least one recipient is a member of a contact list of the source user within the social media system;

computer usable program code configured to monitor the at least one trigger condition of the targeted message for satisfaction and the social media system for presence of the at least one recipient; and

computer usable program code configured to, when the at least one trigger condition is satisfied and a recipient contained in the set of at least one recipient is currently active within the social media system, present the message body of the targeted message to the recipient within a user interface of the social media system, wherein an affiliation of the source user with the targeted message is concealed from the recipient in said presentation.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein receiving of the plurality of data items further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to receive a selection of the social media system to be used for the social media context;

computer usable program code configured to request and receive login data for the social media system from the source user;

computer usable program code configured to establish a communications pathway with the social media system using the received login data;

computer usable program code configured to access the contact list of the source user; and

computer usable program code configured to present the contact list within a user interface of the source-concealing targeted messaging system, wherein the set of at least one recipient is selected by the source user from the presented contact list.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein receiving of the plurality of data items further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to analyze the message body for at least one of hostile, inappropriate, or inflammatory content and malicious code; and

computer usable program code configured to, when said analysis identifies at least one of hostile, inappropriate, or inflammatory content and malicious code within the message body, reject the message body for the targeted message.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein receiving of the plurality of data items further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to receive via a provided input mechanism a command to include a reference to information from an external data source within the message body;

computer usable program code configured to check a validity of the reference; and

computer usable program code configured to, when the reference is determined to be valid, incorporate the reference into the message body.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to aggregate metrics data regarding interactions of the set of at least one recipient with the targeted message; and

computer usable program code configured to generate a variety of reports based upon the aggregated metrics data.