MANAGING AND ACCOUNTING FOR PRIVACY SETTINGS THROUGH TIERED COOKIE SET ACCESS

• US 20150026815A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global 9-Times-5 LLC
• Original Assignee: Global 9-Times-5 LLC
• Inventors: Barrett, Mary H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,654,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Tiered management of privacy settings is disclosed. In one example, such management entails defining privacy tiers respectively corresponding to privacy levels. Cookies are then associated to the privacy tiers to accommodate the management of browsing activity according to the relevant tier. Additionally, different sets of private information are respectively to the privacy tiers. This provides for the management of browsing activity using the privacy tiers, the cookies and the different sets of private information. In this fashion, the association of a given cookie to a given privacy tier dictates a given set of private information to be provided to another party in connection with a given browsing activity.

Claims

1. A method for tiered management of privacy settings, the method comprising:

defining privacy tiers respectively corresponding to privacy levels;

associating cookies respectively to the privacy tiers;

associating different sets of private information respectively to the privacy tiers; and

managing browsing activity using the privacy tiers, the cookies and the different sets of private information, wherein the association of a given cookie to a given privacy tier dictates a given set of private information to be provided to another party in connection with a given browsing activity.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a current level of privacy status during the browsing activity, the current level of privacy status indicating one of the privacy tiers.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

managing an accounting and exchange of value respectively corresponding to the privacy tiers.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an interface to receive modification of privacy tier settings.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to modify a setting corresponding to a given privacy tier; and

updating the given privacy tier according to the request.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein updating the given privacy tier comprises identifying a given cookie corresponding to a given browsing activity, and moving the given cookie from a first privacy tier to a second privacy tier in connection with the request.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code for tiered management of privacy settings, the program code being executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:

defining privacy tiers respectively corresponding to privacy levels;

associating cookies respectively to the privacy tiers;

associating different sets of private information respectively to the privacy tiers; and

managing browsing activity using the privacy tiers, the cookies and the different sets of private information, wherein the association of a given cookie to a given privacy tier dictates a given set of private information to be provided to another party in connection with a given browsing activity.

8. The computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying a current level of privacy status during the browsing activity, the current level of privacy status indicating one of the privacy tiers.

9. The computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

managing an accounting and exchange of value respectively corresponding to the privacy tiers.

10. The computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying an interface to receive modification of privacy tier settings.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to modify a setting corresponding to a given privacy tier; and

updating the given privacy tier according to the request.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein updating the given privacy tier comprises identifying a given cookie corresponding to a given browsing activity, and moving the given cookie from a first privacy tier to a second privacy tier in connection with the request.

13. An apparatus for tiered management of privacy settings, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, the memory storing program code executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

defining privacy tiers respectively corresponding to privacy levels;

associating cookies respectively to the privacy tiers;

associating different sets of private information respectively to the privacy tiers; and

managing browsing activity using the privacy tiers, the cookies and the different sets of private information, wherein the association of a given cookie to a given privacy tier dictates a given set of private information to be provided to another party in connection with a given browsing activity.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying a current level of privacy status during the browsing activity, the current level of privacy status indicating one of the privacy tiers.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

managing an accounting and exchange of value respectively corresponding to the privacy tiers.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying an interface to receive modification of privacy tier settings.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to modify a setting corresponding to a given privacy tier; and

updating the given privacy tier according to the request.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein updating the given privacy tier comprises identifying a given cookie corresponding to a given browsing activity, and moving the given cookie from a first privacy tier to a second privacy tier in connection with the request.