Apparatus, methods, and computer program products for monitoring network activity for child related risks

• US 9,454,740 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Jerome, Ruckart, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Zecher, Dede
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lakhia, Viral
• Application Number:
  US13/494,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/206, 709/224, 726/4, 726/9, 726/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus, method and/or computer program products for monitoring internet activity. In some method embodiments, a network is searched to detect network data indicative of actual and/or potential contact with a child. A report is generated that identifies a source of detected data and the report is sent to a responsible party.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a computer, Internet postings associated with a network address and a child'"'"'s age in years;

retrieving, by the computer, an electronic communications log associated with the network address, the electronic communications log logging electronic communications previously sent and received, the electronic communications all associated with the network address and with different correspondent addresses;

retrieving, by the computer, an electronic locations log associated with the network address, the electronic locations log logging times at geographical locations associated with the network address;

generating, by the computer, an electronic report that identifies the different correspondent addresses logged in the electronic communications log and a list of the geographical locations logged in the electronic locations log that exceed a specified amount of time;

retrieving, by the computer, a parental network address associated with a parent of the child;

sending, by the computer, the electronic report to the parental network address; and

receiving, by the computer, in response to the electronic report, instructions comprising a location and a notification request, the notification request requesting an electronic notification be sent to the parental network address in response to a current location associated with the network address differing from the location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic report comprises a baseline report that includes the different correspondent addresses and an updated report that includes the correspondent addresses logged after the baseline report.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the different correspondent addresses logged in the electronic communications log to entries in an approved list of contacts; and

reporting an unapproved contact not included in the approved list of contacts.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the electronic communications log at regular time intervals.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a name and contact information associated with the parental network address.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring network communications associated with the network address.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging short message service (SMS) messages in the electronic communications log.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging calls in the electronic communications log.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging website addresses in the electronic communications log.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging the electronic communications in the electronic communications log.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising searching the electronic communications log for a credit card number associated with the network address.

12. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting Internet postings associated with a network address and a child'"'"'s age in years;

retrieving an electronic communications log associated with the network address, the electronic communications log logging electronic communications previously sent and received and associated with the network address and with correspondent addresses;

retrieving an electronic locations log associated with the network address, the electronic locations log logging times at geographical locations associated with the network address;

generating an electronic report that identifies the correspondent addresses logged in the electronic communications log and a list of the geographical locations logged in the electronic locations log that exceed a specified amount of time;

retrieving a parental network address associated with a parent of the child;

sending the electronic report to the parental network address; and

receiving, in response to the electronic report, instructions specifying comprising a location and a notification request, the notification request requesting an electronic notification be sent to the parental network address in response to a current location associated with the network address differing from leaving the location specified by the instructions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise logging short message service (SMS) messages in the electronic communications log.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise logging calls in the electronic communications log.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise logging website addresses in the electronic communications log.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise logging the electronic communications in the electronic communications log.

17. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

detecting Internet postings associated with a network address and a child'"'"'s age in years;

retrieving an electronic communications log associated with the network address, the electronic communications log logging electronic communications previously sent and received by a device associated with the network address, the electronic communications log also logging correspondent addresses;

retrieving an electronic locations log associated with the network address, the electronic locations log logging times at geographical locations associated with the network address;

generating an electronic report that identifies the correspondent addresses logged in the electronic communications log and a list of the geographical locations logged in the electronic locations log that exceed a specified amount of time;

retrieving a parental network address associated with a parent of the child;

sending the electronic report to the parental network address; and

receiving, in response to the electronic report, instructions comprising a location and a notification request, the notification request requesting that an electronic notification be sent to the parental network address in response to a current location associated with the network address differing from the location.

18. The memory device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise logging short message service (SMS) messages in the electronic communications log.

19. The memory device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise logging calls in the electronic communications log.