System and method for applying privacy settings to a plurality of applications

• US 9,224,009 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Sean Y., Cook, Alex M. III, Steiner, Matthew Stephen, McPhie, Jonathan S., Diwanji, Pavani Naishadh, Cohen, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lemma, Samson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kanaan, Simon
• Application Number:
  US14/454,711
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A system and method for adjusting privacy protection for a user in a plurality of applications is disclosed. A privacy protection request is sent to a user device. In one embodiment, the request is displayed on user device in the form of a pop-up window. In another embodiment, the request is displayed in a privacy settings area. The privacy protection request includes a plurality of protection levels. Once a protection level is selected the protection level is sent back and received by the system. Privacy settings are adjusted according to the selected privacy protection level based on information stored in a master template. In some embodiments, the privacy protection level is translated to associated privacy settings. Once the privacy settings have been adjusted, the privacy settings are applied to a plurality of online applications associated with the user based on the privacy protection level selected.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, using one or more processors, privacy settings information including one or more of the user'"'"'s privacy settings from a plurality of applications, a privacy setting determining an availability of at least one feature of the user to other users;

generating, using the one or more processors, a template based on privacy settings received from a user, the received privacy setting information, the template including a plurality of levels of privacy protection, at least one level of privacy protection having a first privacy setting for a first feature and a second privacy setting for a second feature;

receiving, using the one or more processors, a first selection of a level of privacy protection from the user for the first feature of a first application and a second selection of a level of privacy protection from the user for the second feature of a second application; and

applying, using the one or more processors, a first adjustment to a privacy setting for the first feature of the first application using the template based upon the first selection and a second adjustment to a privacy setting for the second feature of the second application using the template based upon the second selection, the privacy setting for the first feature determining an availability of the first feature to other users, and the privacy setting for the second feature determining an availability of the second feature to other users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the template includes one or more sub-templates associated with one or more applications.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

translating, using one or more processors, the received level of privacy protection to the one or more privacy settings based on the template.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second applications includes a blogging service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second applications includes a photo sharing service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second applications includes a video sharing service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of levels of privacy protection is customizable for each user.

8. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causers the computer to:

receive privacy settings information including one or more of the user'"'"'s privacy settings from a plurality of applications, a privacy setting determining an availability of at least one feature of the user to other users;

generate a template based on privacy settings received from a user, the received privacy setting information, the template including a plurality of levels of privacy protection, at least one level of privacy protection having a first privacy setting for a first feature and a second privacy setting for a second feature;

receive a first selection of a level of privacy protection from the user for the first feature of a first application and a second selection of a level of privacy protection from the user for the second feature of a second application; and

apply a first adjustment to a privacy setting for the first feature of the first application using the template based upon the first selection and a second adjustment to a privacy setting for the second feature of the second application using the template based upon the second selection, the privacy setting for the first feature determining an availability of the first feature to other users, and the privacy setting for the second feature determining an availability of the second feature to other users.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the template includes one or more sub-templates associated with one or more applications.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer further to translate the received level of privacy protection to the one or more privacy settings based on the template.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the first and second applications includes a blogging service.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the first and second applications includes a photo sharing service.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the first and second applications includes a video sharing service.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the plurality of levels of privacy protection is customizable for each user.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to;

receive privacy settings information including one or more of the user'"'"'s privacy settings from a plurality of applications, a privacy setting determining an availability of at least one feature of the user to other users;

generate a template based on privacy settings received from a user, the received privacy setting information, the template including a plurality of levels of privacy protection, at least one level of privacy protection having a first privacy setting for a first feature and a second privacy setting for a second feature

receive a first selection of a level of privacy protection from the user for the first feature of a first application and a second selection of a level of privacy protection from the user for the second feature of a second application; and

apply a first adjustment to a privacy setting for the first feature of the first application using the template based upon the first selection and a second adjustment to a privacy setting for the second feature of the second application using the template based upon the second selection, the privacy setting for the first feature determining an availability of the first feature to other users, and the privacy setting for the second feature determining an availability of the second feature to other users.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is configured to translate the received level of privacy protection to the one or more privacy settings based on the template.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second applications includes a blogging service.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second applications includes a photo sharing service.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second applications includes a video sharing service.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of levels of privacy protection is customizable for each user.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the template includes one or more sub-templates associated with one or more applications.