System and method for secure social networking

• US 8,554,835 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Gordon Williams
• Original Assignee: Robert Gordon Williams
• Inventors: Williams, Robert Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Donabed, Ninos
• Application Number:
  US13/158,378
• Time in Patent Office: 850 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A system and method for secure social networking is disclosed. In one embodiment, a social networking site is accessible on the Internet for use by minors that allows for adult supervision and approval for participation on the site, and provides safeguards against abuses and misuse of many social networking sites available today. In another embodiment, a social networking site on the Internet is available for use by minors that permits users to access the Internet only according to guidelines previously approved by adults for each user. The system further comprises a call screening feature that allows incoming and outgoing calls according to guidelines previously approved by adults for each user.

Claims

1. A social networking system, comprising:

a master website, comprising;

a plurality of web pages hosted on one or more servers, wherein the one or more servers can be accessed over a communications network by way of a locator address;

a memory and a central programmable processing unit in communication with the one or more servers;

a communications link in communication with the communications network; and

one or more searchable databases in communication with the one or more servers,

wherein the master website further comprises an administrative panel, a parent panel, a user panel and a web filtering unit,

wherein further the administrative panel is used to access a plurality of modules to control various details and operations of the master website,

wherein further the parent panel is used to permit a parent of a user to register the user to use the master website and to set parameters for the user'"'"'s access to the various details and operations of the master website,

wherein further the user panel is used to permit the user to select options within the parameters set by the parent to access various details and operations of the master website,

wherein further the web filtering unit is used to block the user'"'"'s access to websites external to the master website according to parameters set by the parent,

wherein the parent of the user of the system registers with the system before the user can access the system, wherein further the parent sets parameters within the modules comprising the parent panel that controls the options available to the user within the user panel,

wherein the parent sets up a communication link by which the parent registers with the system, and thereafter confirms intent to register with the system via a separate communication link, wherein further thereafter the user sets UP an account with the system within the modules comprising the user panel;

the web filtering unit comprises a computer program resident on the user'"'"'s computer, wherein the web filtering unit is used to block the user'"'"'s access to websites external to the system, wherein upon entry of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) by the user into the user'"'"'s computer browser program while logged onto the system, the web filtering unit;

maintains a list of categories of websites, wherein the parent selects the categories of websites that the user is permitted to access over the Internet;

transmits an inquiry to a third party website comprising the entered URL, wherein the third party website maintains a catalog of websites that have been tagged by various categories that are searchable by URL, wherein further the categories maintained by the third party website are identical to the categories of websites maintained by the web filtering unit;

receives a response from the third party website comprising the category of the entered URL; and

compares the category of the entered URL as received from the third party website to the categories of websites selected by the parent that can be accessed by the user over the Internet;

wherein the user is permitted to access the website associated with the entered URL if the category of the entered URL favorably compares to any of the categories of websites selected by the parent that can be accessed by the user over the Internet;

wherein further the user is blocked from accessing the website associated with the entered URL if the category of the entered URL fails to favorably compare to any of the categories of websites selected by the parent that can be accessed by the user over the Internet;

wherein further the system maintains a list of URL'"'"'s entered by the user for which access to the associated websites are blocked by the web filtering unit,

wherein further the parent can access the list of blocked URLs;

and a call monitoring unit used to monitor the user'"'"'s incoming and outgoing telephone calls,

wherein the call monitoring unit receives information identifying telephone numbers of incoming and outgoing telephone calls made from a telephone number associated with the user,

wherein further the call monitoring unit maintains a list of preferences set by the parent regarding permitted and prohibited telephone numbers for incoming and outgoing telephone calls of the user,

wherein further the call monitoring unit allows the incoming or outgoing call to be completed if the incoming or outgoing telephone number is permitted by the parent,

wherein further the call monitoring unit denies the incoming or outgoing call to be completed if the incoming or outgoing telephone number is prohibited by the parent,

wherein further the parent can monitor all incoming and outgoing calls from the telephone number associated with the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the administrative panel comprises modules to control Member Management, User Management, Audio/Video Chat Management, Message Management, Profane Word Dictionary, Amber Alert Management, Address Book Management, Advertisement Management, Multi-Language Support, Image, Video &

Music Upload Management, Payment Gateway, Settings, Alerts and Statistics, Profile, Logout or any combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the parent panel comprises modules to control User Management, Audio/Video Chat Management, Message Management, Address Book Management, Image, Video &

Music Upload Management, Profile, Logout and any combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user panel comprises modules to control Update Profile, Search Profile, Friends Network, Audio/Video Chat, Address Book, Share Photo, Video &

Music, Customize Interface, Post Comment/Message, Logout and any combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent provides a method of payment of fees for use of the system.

6. A memory containing executable computer program instructions for rendering a social networking system on a user'"'"'s computer, comprising:

computer source code stored in the memory and rendering via a browser program resident on the user'"'"'s computer a social networking Internet website with a plurality of web pages, wherein the plurality of web pages are hosted on one or more servers, wherein the one or more servers can be accessed over a communications network by way of a locator address;

wherein a central programmable processing unit is in communication with the one or more servers;

wherein a communications link is in communication with the communications network; and

wherein one or more searchable databases are in communication with the one or more servers,

wherein the social networking Internet website further comprises an administrative panel, a parent panel, a user panel and a web filtering unit,

wherein further the administrative panel is used to access a plurality of modules to control various details and operations of the social networking Internet website,

wherein further the parent panel is used to permit a parent of a user to register the user to use the social networking Internet website and to set parameters for the user'"'"'s access to the various details and operations of the social networking Internet website,

wherein further the user panel is used to permit the user to select options within the parameters set by the parent to access various details and operations of the social networking Internet website, and

wherein further the web filtering unit is used to block the user'"'"'s access to websites external to the social networking Internet website according to parameters set by the parent,

wherein the parent of the user of the social networking Internet website registers with the social networking Internet website before the user can access the social networking Internet website, wherein further the parent sets parameters within the modules comprising the parent panel that control the options available to the user within the user panel;

wherein the parent sets up a communication link by which the parent registers with the social networking Internet website, and thereafter confirms intent to register with the social networking Internet website via a separate communication link, wherein further thereafter the user sets UP an account with the social networking Internet website within the modules comprising the user panel;

wherein the web filtering unit comprises a computer program resident on the user'"'"'s computer, wherein the web filtering unit is used to block the user'"'"'s access to websites external to the social networking Internet website, wherein upon entry of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) by the user into the user'"'"'s computer browser program while logged onto the social networking Internet website, wherein the web filtering unit;

maintains a list of categories of websites, wherein the parent selects the categories of websites that the user is permitted to access over the Internet;

transmits an inquiry to a third party website comprising the entered URL, wherein the third party website maintains a catalog of websites that have been tagged by various categories that are searchable by URL, wherein further the categories maintained by the third party website are identical to the categories of websites maintained by the web filtering unit;

receives a response from the third party website comprising the category of the entered URL; and

compares the category of the entered URL as received from the third party website to the categories of websites selected by the parent that can be accessed by the user over the Internet;

wherein the user is permitted to access the website associated with the entered URL if the category of the entered URL favorably compares to any of the categories of websites selected by the parent that can be accessed by the user over the Internet;

wherein further the user is blocked from accessing the website associated with the entered URL if the category of the entered URL fails to favorably compare to any of the categories of websites selected by the parent that can be accessed by the user over the Internet;

wherein further the social networking Internet website maintains a list of URL'"'"'s entered by the user for which access to the associated websites are blocked by the web filtering unit,

wherein further the parent can access the list of blocked URL'"'"'s,

and a call monitoring unit used to monitor the user'"'"'s incoming and outgoing telephone calls,

wherein the call monitoring unit receives information identifying telephone numbers of incoming and outgoing telephone calls made from a telephone number associated with the user,

wherein further the call monitoring unit maintains a list of preferences set by the parent regarding permitted and prohibited telephone numbers for incoming and outgoing telephone calls of the user,

wherein further the call monitoring unit allows the incoming or outgoing call to be completed if the incoming or outgoing telephone number is permitted by the parent,

wherein further the call monitoring unit denies the incoming or outgoing call to be completed if the incoming or outgoing telephone number is prohibited by the parent,

wherein further the parent can monitor all incoming and outgoing calls from the telephone number associated with the user.

7. The executable computer program instructions of claim 6, wherein the executable computer program instructions are resident on the user'"'"'s computer.

8. The executable computer program instructions of claim 6, wherein the executable computer program instructions are resident on a server geographically remote from the user'"'"'s computer.

9. The executable computer program instructions of claim 6, wherein:

the administrative panel comprises modules to control Member Management, User Management, Audio/Video Chat Management, Message Management, Profane Word Dictionary, Amber Alert Management, Address Book Management, Advertisement Management, Multi-Language Support, Image, Video &

Music Upload Management, Payment Gateway, Settings, Alerts and Statistics, Profile, Logout or any combination thereof;

the parent panel comprises modules to control User Management, Audio/Video Chat Management, Message Management, Address Book Management, Image, Video &

Music Upload Management, Profile, Logout and any combination thereof; and

the user panel comprises modules to control Update Profile, Search Profile, Friends Network, Audio/Video Chat, Address Book, Share Photo, Video &

Music, Customize Interface, Post Comment/Message, Logout and any combination thereof.

10. The executable computer program instructions of claim 6, wherein the parent provides a method of payment of fees for use of the social networking Internet website.