Method and system for reputation evaluation of online users in a social networking scheme

• US 8,010,460 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Work, James Duncan, Hoffman, Reid, Blue, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Plucinski; Jami A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SENSENIG, SHAUN D
• Application Number:
  US11/219,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20060042483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/319
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A method and system for evaluating the reputation of a member of a social networking system is disclosed. Consistent with an embodiment of the invention, one or more attributes associated with a social networking profile of a member of a social network are analyzed. Based on the analysis, a ranking, rating or score is assigned to a particular category of reputation. When requested, the ranking, rating or score is displayed to a user of the social network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for measuring reliability of a reputation for a target member in a social networking system using a server device the method comprising:

storing one or more endorsements for the target member, the endorsements having been created by endorsers of the target member;

in response to a search for which the target member is a search result, displaying a profile of the target member, the profile including the endorsements for the target member, information regarding endorsers'"'"' relationships with the target member, and displaying information regarding a searcher'"'"'s relationship with the endorsers;

measuring, with the server, using social networking analysis, accuracy of the endorsements; and

determining a rating for the target member based on the measure of the accuracy of the endorsements

displaying the rating for the target member.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the social networking analysis takes into account one or more of the following:

an average of all endorsements;

an average of sealed endorsements;

an aggregate weighted score for independence of the endorsers;

an aggregate weighted score for relationships of the endorsers to the searcher; and

an aggregate weighted score for endorsements of the endorsers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the social networking analysis includes ranking the endorsements based on one or more of the following:

people who list the target member as a direct connection and worked in any listed organizations concurrently with the target member;

people who list the target member in their address book and worked in any of the listed organizations concurrently with the target member;

people who list the target member either as a direct connection or in their address book and who worked in any of the listed organizations within a defined time period;

people who worked in any of the listed organizations within the defined time period; and

people who have listed people in their address book who now work in any of the listed organizations.