Threat identification and mitigation in computer mediated communication, including online social network environments

• US 8,838,834 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ted W. Reynolds
• Original Assignee: Ted W. Reynolds
• Inventors: Reynolds, Ted W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US13/352,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709223-224, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety

Abstract

A method for combating electronic communication that may cause an individual to adopt extremist or terrorist philosophies. The method comprises intercepting electronic communication intended for or initiated by the individual over an Internet communication medium, identifying electronic communication, as intercepted, that relate to extremist or terrorist philosophies, analyzing content of the electronic communication that relates to extremist or terrorist philosophies, injecting counter-narrative content to the individual'"'"'s communication stream to counter determined content, and displaying text associated with one or more of the method steps on a display screen.

Claims

1. A method for combating electronic communication that causes an individual to engage in extremist or terrorist activities the method comprising:

(a) intercepting electronic communication intended for or initiated by the individual over an Internet communication medium;

(b) identifying electronic communication, as intercepted according to step (a), that relate to or describe extremist or terrorist activities as identified by keywords or phrases in the electronic communication;

(c) analyzing content of the electronic communication that relates to extremist or terrorist activities as identified at step (b);

(d) injecting counter-narrative content to the individual'"'"'s communication stream, responsive to content analyzed at step (c), to counter determined content; and

(e) displaying text associated with one or more of steps (a) through (d) on a display screen; and

(f) determining that the individual has progressed beyond a threshold based upon a predetermined multi-variable threat matrix, wherein progress beyond the threshold indicates that additional executions of step (d) have less effect on countering the content analyzed at step (c).