CAPTCHA-based spam control for content creation systems

• US 7,680,891 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pongsajapan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang; Liangche A
• Application Number:
  US11/425,118
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Methods and systems of spam control for content creation systems include evaluation of documents created by a creator for characteristics associated with spam. A challenge rate is determined based on the evaluation. Whenever the creator attempts to create a document, he may be presented a challenge in accordance with the challenge rate. The challenge rate may be adjusted based on the creator'"'"'s response to the challenge.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of controlling spam, comprising:

on a server system having one or more processors that execute programs stored in memory of the server system;

determining, for a set of documents created by a creator, a metric whose value indicates an extent to which the set of documents includes spam, wherein the value is on a predefined scale and wherein determining the metric for the set of documents comprises determining at least one spam score for the set of documents;

determining a challenge rate associated with the creator based on the determined metric whose value indicates the extent to which the set of documents includes spam, wherein the challenge rate is less than one hundred percent and wherein determining the challenge rate comprises determining the challenge rate associated with the creator based on the at least one spam score; and

presenting to the creator a challenge in accordance with the challenge rate whenever the creator attempts to create a document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the challenge comprises a completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart (CAPTCHA).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of documents comprises weblog postings.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of documents comprises email messages.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response of the creator to the challenge; and

adjusting the challenge rate based on the response.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the challenge rate represents a probability greater than 0 percent.

7. A system for controlling spam, comprising:

memory;

one or more processors; and

one or more modules stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the modules comprising;

instructions to determine, for a set of documents created by an creator, a metric whose value indicates an extent to which the set of documents includes spam, wherein the value is on a predefined scale and wherein the instructions to determine the metric comprise include instructions to determine at least one spam score for the set of documents;

instructions to determine a challenge rate associated with the creator based on the determined metric whose value indicates the extent to which the set of documents includes spam, wherein the challenge rate is less than one hundred percent and wherein the instructions to determine the challenge rate comprise instructions to determine the challenge rate associated with the creator based on the at least one spam score; and

instructions to present to the creator a challenge in accordance with the challenge rate whenever the creator attempts to create a document.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the challenge comprises a CAPTCHA.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more modules comprise:

instructions to receive a response of the creator to the challenge; and

instructions to adjust the challenge rate based on the response.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the challenge rate represents a probability greater than 0 percent.

11. A computer-implemented method of controlling spam, comprising:

determining, for a set of documents created by a creator, a metric whose value indicates an extent to which the set of documents have characteristics associated with spam, wherein determining the metric for the set of documents comprises determining at least one spam score for the set of documents;

determining a challenge rate associated with the creator based on the determined metric, wherein the challenge rate is less than one hundred percent and wherein determining the challenge rate comprises determining the challenge rate associated with the creator based on the at least one spam score; and

presenting to the creator a challenge in accordance with the challenge rate whenever the creator attempts to create a document.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the challenge rate represents a probability greater than 0 percent.

13. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer systems, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

determining, for a set of documents created by an creator, a metric whose value indicates an extent to which the set of documents includes spam, wherein the value is on a predefined scale and wherein determining the metric for the set of documents comprises determining at least one spam score for the set of documents;

determining a challenge rate based on the determined metric whose value indicates the extent to which the set of documents includes spam, wherein the challenge rate is less than one hundred percent and wherein determining the challenge rate comprises determining the challenge rate associated with the creator based on the at least one spam score; and

presenting to the creator a challenge whenever the creator attempts to create a document in accordance with the challenge rate.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

receiving a response of the creator to the challenge; and

adjusting the challenge rate based on the response.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the challenge rate represents a probability greater than 0 percent.

16. A system for controlling spam, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors;

means for determining, for a set of documents created by a creator, a metric whose value indicates an extent to which the set of documents includes spam, wherein the value is on a predefined sale and wherein the means for determining the metric for the set of documents comprises means for determining at least one spam score for the set of documents;

means for determining a challenge rate based on the determined metric whose value indicates the extent to which the set of documents includes spam, wherein the challenge rate is less than one hundred percent and wherein the means for determining the challenge rate comprises means for determining the challenge rate associated with the creator based on the at least one spam score; and

means for presenting to the creator a challenge whenever the creator attempts to create a document in accordance with the challenge rate.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the challenge rate represents a probability greater than 0 percent.