Self-policing, rate limiting online forums

• US 6,339,784 B1
• Filed: 05/13/1998
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: America Online Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bosco, Eric, Morris, Harry W., Lippke, David Lowell, Steele, Colin Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/076,484
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/235, 709/224, 709/225, 345/330, 370/235
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002

Abstract

A method and means for self-policing and automatically rate-limiting multiple-user online forums. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a set of rules that permit users to censure other users. A censured user has one or more “privileges” (which may include access to the online computer system or the effective message rate of a communications connection) taken away or diminished; the privilege is gradually restored if the censured user behaves. The censuring participant and other pertinent participants are notified of the effect of the censuring on the censured user. In another aspect of the invention, the online computer system automatically tracks the rate at which a user sends certain types of messages, and can message rate limit a user who uses too many system resources by sending a large number of messages in rapid succession.

Claims

1. A method, performed on a computer system, of regulating an active user'"'"'s continued access to a computer-based service, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving input at the computer system about a first active user'"'"'s activity in the computer-based service from at least one other active user of the computer-based service;

(b) evaluating the received input at the computer without human intervention; and

(c) modifying by the computer system, and without human intervention, the first active user'"'"'s ability to continue to access the computer-based service based on a result of such evaluating.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the step of receiving input comprises gathering a vote from at least one other active user of the computer-based service, the vote being cast in response to action taken by the first active user.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the step of evaluating comprises applying predetermined access limiting criteria to the cast vote.

4. The method of claim 2, in which the step of evaluating further includes determining whether each other active user is permitted to cast a vote against the first active user.

5. The method of claim 4, in which the step of determining further includes evaluating whether a voting user has been accessing at least a portion of the computer-based service for a minimum amount of time.

6. The method of claim 4, in which the step of determining further includes evaluating whether a voting user has been accessing at least a portion of the computer-based service for a longer amount of time than the first active user.

7. The method of claim 4, in which the step of determining further includes limiting the number of votes an active user may cast.

8. The method of claim 2, in which the step of evaluating further includes giving extra weight to votes cast by another active user against the first active user if the other active user has been accessing at least a portion of the computer-based service for a selected amount of time.

9. The method of claim 2, in which the step of modifying comprises denying the first active user full access to the computer-based service based on the result of the evaluating.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of allowing the first active user to regain full access to the computer-based service based on predetermined access resumption criteria.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying selected other active users that the first active user'"'"'s ability to access the computer-based service has been modified.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an indicator of an amount of modification by all active users accessing at least a portion of the computer-based service.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the computer-based service comprises an online public forum.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of permitting the first active user to vote against another active user based on a message type sent by such other active user after the first active user'"'"'s ability to access the computer-based service has been modified.

15. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for regulating an active user'"'"'s continued access to a computer-based service, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) receive input about a first active user'"'"'s activity in the computer-based service from at least one other active user of the computer-based service;

(b) evaluate the received input; and

(c) modify the first active user'"'"'s ability to continue to access the computer-based service based on a result of such evaluating.

16. The computer program of claim 15, in which the instructions for causing a computer to receive input further comprises instructions for causing a computer to gather a vote from at least one other active user of the computer-based service, the vote being cast in response to action taken by the first active user.

17. The computer program of claim 16, in which the instructions for causing a computer to evaluate further comprises instructions for causing a computer to apply predetermined access limiting criteria to the cast vote.

18. The computer program of claim 16, in which the instructions for causing a computer to evaluate further comprises instructions for causing a computer to determine whether each other active user is permitted to cast a vote against the first active user.

19. The computer program of claim 18, in which the instructions for causing a computer to determine further comprises instructions for causing a computer to evaluate whether a voting user has been accessing at least a portion of the computer-based service for a minimum amount of time.

20. The computer program of claim 18, in which the instructions for causing a computer to determine further comprises instructions for causing a computer to evaluate whether a voting user has been accessing at least a portion of the computer-based service for a longer amount of time than the first active user.

21. The computer program of claim 18, in which the instructions for causing a computer to determine further comprises instructions for causing a computer to limit the number of votes an active user may cast.

22. The computer program of claim 16, in which the instructions for causing a computer to evaluate further comprises instructions for causing a computer to give extra weight to votes cast by another active user against the first active user if the other active user has been accessing at least a portion of the computer-based service for a selected amount of time.

23. The computer program of claim 16, in which the instructions for causing a computer to modify further comprises instructions for causing a computer to deny the first active user full access to the computer-based service based on the result of the evaluation.

24. The computer program of claim 23, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to allow the first active user to regain full access to the computer-based service depending on predetermined access resumption criteria.

25. The computer program of claim 15, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to notify selected other active users of modification of the first active user'"'"'s ability to access the computer-based service.

26. The computer program of claim 15, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to provide an indicator of an amount of modification by all active users accessing at least a portion of the computer-based service.

27. The computer program of claim 15, in which the computer-based service comprises an online public forum.

28. The computer program of claim 15, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to permit the first active user to vote against another active user based on message type sent by such other active user after the first active user'"'"'s ability to access the computer-based service has been modified.

29. A method, performed on a computer system, of monitoring user activity in a computer-based service, the method comprising:

receiving input at the computer system about a first active user'"'"'s activities in the computer-based service from at least one other active user of the computer-based service; and

adjusting by the computer system, and without human intervention, an index representative of the first active user'"'"'s activities based on the received input.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising modifying the first active user'"'"'s ability to access the computer-based service based on the first active user'"'"'s index.

31. The method of claim 29, in which the input received from the at least one other active user is in response to action taken by the first active user.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising limiting received input only to other active users who have been affected by the first active user'"'"'s activities.

33. The method of claim 29, in which the index representative of the first active user'"'"'s activities corresponds to the appropriateness of the first active user'"'"'s behavior in using the computer-based service.

34. The method of claim 29, in which the input received from the at least one other active user is sent anonymously.

35. The method of claim 34, in which adjustment of the first active user'"'"'s index comprises according reduced significance to anonymous input received from the at least one other active user.

36. The method of claim 29, in which the input received from the at least one other active user is sent automatically in response to action taken by the first active user.

37. The method of claim 36, in which adjustment of the first active user'"'"'s index comprises according reduced significance to automatic input received from the at least one other active user.

38. The method of claim 29, in which adjustment of the first active user'"'"'s index comprises according varied significance to received input based on a class to which the at least one other active user belongs.

39. The method of claim 38, in which adjustment of the first active user'"'"'s index comprises according increased significance to input received from an active user belonging to a system operator class.

40. The method of claim 38, in which adjustment of the first active user'"'"'s index comprises according reduced significance to input received from an active user belonging to a non-paying member class.

41. The method of claim 38, in which adjustment of the first active user'"'"'s index comprises according varied significance to received input based on a seniority level of the at least one other active user.

42. A method, performed on a computer system, of regulating a user'"'"'s use of a computer-based service, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) computing an average message rate for messages originated by the user'"'"'s connection to the computer-based service;

(b) comparing the user'"'"'s average message rate to a rate limit threshold;

(c) if the average message rate exceeds the rate limit threshold, then modifying the user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service by refusing to transmit messages from the user to the computer-based service, while permitting the user to receive messages from the computer-based service.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the steps of:

(a) comparing the user'"'"'s average message rate to a disconnect threshold;

(b) if the average message rate exceeds the disconnect threshold, then denying the user access to the computer-based service.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of allowing the user full use of the computer-based service if the average message rate falls below a clear threshold.

45. A method, performed on a computer system, of regulating a user'"'"'s use of a computer-based service, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) computing an average message rate for messages originated by the user'"'"'s connection to the computer-based service;

(b) comparing the user'"'"'s average message rate to a rate limit threshold;

(c) if the average message rate exceeds the rate limit threshold, then modifying the user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service by refusing to transmit messages from the user to the computer-based service, while permitting the user to receive messages from the computer-based service;

(d) comparing the user'"'"'s average message rate to a disconnect threshold;

(e) if the average message rate exceeds the disconnect threshold, then denying the user access to the computer-based service;

(f) allowing the user full use of the computer-based service if the average message rate falls below a clear threshold.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of adjusting any of the average message rate, the rate limit threshold, the disconnect threshold, or the clear threshold in response to negative input about the user from at least one other user of the computer-based service.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of computing an average message rate for messages originated by the user'"'"'s connection includes counting only messages of selected types.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of computing an average message rate for messages includes starting with an initial average message rate.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising adjusting a value of the initial average message rate to vary the computer-based service'"'"'s tolerance of initial messaging activity.

50. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for regulating a user'"'"'s use of a computer-based service, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) compute an average message rate for messages originated by the user connection to the computer-based service;

(b) compare the user'"'"'s average message rate to a rate limit threshold;

(c) if the average message rate exceeds the rate limit threshold, then modify the user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service by refusing to transmit messages from the user to the computer-based service, while permitting the user to receive messages from the computer-based service.

51. The computer program of claim 50, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) compare the user'"'"'s average message rate to a disconnect threshold;

(b) if the average message rate exceeds the disconnect threshold, then deny the user access to the computer-based service.

52. The computer program of claim 50, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to allow the user full use of the computer-based service if the average message rate falls below a clear threshold.

53. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for regulating a user'"'"'s use of a computer-based service, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) compute an average message rate for messages originated by a user'"'"'s connection to the computer-based service;

(b) compare the user'"'"'s average message rate to a rate limit threshold;

(c) if the average message rate exceeds the rate limit threshold, then modify the user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service by refusing to transmit messages from the user to the computer-based service, while permitting the user to receive messages from the computer-based service;

(d) compare the user'"'"'s average message rate to a disconnect threshold;

(e) if the average message rate exceeds the disconnect threshold, then deny the user access to the computer-based service;

(f) allow the user full use of the computer-based service if the average message rate falls below a clear threshold.

54. The computer program of claim 53, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to adjust any of the average message rate, the rate limit threshold, the disconnect threshold, or the clear threshold in response to negative input about the user from at least one other user of the computer-based service.

55. The computer program of claim 53, in which the instructions for causing a computer to compute an average message rate for messages originated by the user'"'"'s connection include instructions for causing a computer to count only messages of selected types.

56. The computer program of claim 53, wherein the instructions to compute an average message rate for messages includes starting with an initial average message rate.

57. The computer program of claim 56, further comprising instructions to adjust a value of the initial average message rate to vary the computer-based service'"'"'s tolerance of initial messaging activity.