Regulating users of online forums

• US 8,140,703 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Harry W., Bosco, Eric, Lippke, David Lowell, Steele, Colin Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US09/968,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,822 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/232, 709/224, 709/233, 709/230, 709/226, 709/206, 709/204, 709/200
• US Class Current: 709/233
• 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

Regulating a user of a computer-based service includes receiving input about a first user from at least one other user of the computer-based service, determining a degree to which the at least one other user can influence a parameter associated with the first user, and modifying the first user'"'"'s parameter based on the received input and the determined degree of influence. The first user'"'"'s parameter, for example, can relate to the first user'"'"'s ability to use the computer-based service.

Claims

1. A method, implemented in hardware included in a messaging system, of regulating a user of the messaging system, the method comprising:

accessing timing data associated with a subset of all messages originated by the user of the messaging system, wherein the subset represents a predetermined number of messages originated by the user;

determining a message rate for the subset of messages based on the timing data;

comparing the message rate for the subset of messages to a threshold message rate; and

based on comparison results, modifying a parameter associated with the user of the messaging system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the parameter is further based on a type of action engaged in by the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the parameter is further based on a behavioral index of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the messaging system is located remotely from the user, such that messages originated by the user are originated at a computer system separate from the messaging system.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the messaging system is located locally to the user, such that messages originated by the user are originated at the messaging system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the parameter comprises modifying an allowable message rate for messages originated by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the parameter associated with the user is further based on a result of a comparison between the determined message rate for the subset of messages and a behavioral index for the user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the behavioral index reflects complaints about the user received from one or more other user'"'"'s of the messaging system.

9. An article implemented in hardware comprising a computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for regulating a user of a messaging system, the software including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

access timing data associated with a subset of all messages originated by the user of the messaging system, wherein the subset represents a predetermined number of messages originated by the user;

determine a message rate for the subset of messages based on the timing data;

compare the message rate for the subset of messages to a threshold message rate; and

based on comparison results, modify a parameter associated with the user of the messaging system.

10. The article of claim 9 wherein modifying the parameter comprises limiting an allowable message rate for messages originated by the user.

11. The article of claim 9 wherein:

modifying the parameter associated with the user is further based on a result of a comparison between the determined message rate for the subset of messages and a behavioral index for the user, and

the behavioral index reflects complaints about the user received from one or more other user'"'"'s of the messaging system.

12. A messaging system for regulating a user of the messaging system, the messaging system comprising:

a processor, wherein the processor;

accesses timing data associated with a subset of all messages originated by the user of the messaging system, wherein the subset represents a predetermined number of messages originated by the user;

determines a message rate for the subset of messages based on the timing data;

compares the message rate for the subset of messages to a threshold message rate; and

based on comparison results, modifies a parameter associated with the user of the messaging system.

13. The messaging system of claim 12 wherein modifying the parameter comprises limiting an allowable message rate for messages originated by the user.

14. The messaging system of claim 12 wherein:

modifying the parameter associated with the user is further based on a result of a comparison between the determined message rate for the subset of messages and a behavioral index for the user, and

the behavioral index reflects complaints about the user received from one or more other user'"'"'s of the messaging system.

15. A method, implemented in hardware included in a messaging system, of regulating a user of the messaging system, the method comprising:

accessing timing data associated with a subset of all messages originated by the user of the messaging system, wherein the subset represents a predetermined number of messages originated by the user;

determining an inter-message time gap for the subset of messages based on the timing data;

comparing the inter-message time gap for the subset of messages to a threshold inter-message time gap; and

based on comparison results, modifying a parameter associated with the user of the messaging system.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein accessing timing data associated with the subset of messages comprises accessing an inter-message time gap for the subset of messages.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein accessing timing data associated with the subset of messages comprises accessing an inverse of an inter-message time gap for the subset of messages.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein accessing timing data associated with the subset of messages comprises accessing an average inter-message time gap for the subset of messages.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein accessing timing data associated with the subset of messages comprises accessing a weighted indicator of an inter-message time gap for the subset of messages.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein modifying the parameter comprises modifying an allowable message rate for messages originated by the user.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein modifying the parameter associated with the user is further based on a result of a comparison between the determined inter-message time gap and a behavioral index for the user.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the behavioral index reflects complaints about the user received from one or more other user'"'"'s of the messaging system.

23. An article implemented in hardware comprising a computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for regulating a user of a messaging system, the software including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

access timing data associated with a subset of all messages originated by the user of the messaging system, wherein the subset represents a predetermined number of messages originated by the user;

determine an inter-message time gap for the subset of messages based on the timing data;

compare the inter-message time gap for the subset of messages to a threshold inter-message time gap; and

based on comparison results, modify a parameter associated with the user of the messaging system.

24. The article of claim 23 wherein modifying the parameter comprises limiting an allowable message rate for messages originated by the user.

25. The article of claim 23 wherein:

modifying the parameter associated with the user is further based on a result of a comparison between the determined inter-message time gap and a behavioral index for the user, and

the behavioral index reflects complaints about the user received from one or more other user'"'"'s of the messaging system.