Managing social network accessibility based on age
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving, at a social networking system from a first client device of a purported parent user having an account in the social networking system, a request to regulate actions of a child user having an account in the social networking system that is accessible via a second client device of the child user, the child user having an age that is less than a threshold age;
accessing information associated with the account in the social networking system of the purported parent user and accessing information associated with the account in the social networking system of the child user;
determining whether a parent-child relationship exists between the purported parent user and the child user based on (1) the information associated with the account of the purported parent user and (2) the information associated with the account of the child user;
responsive to determining an existence of a parent-child relationship between the purported parent user and the child user, determining whether the account of the purported parent user is connected to the account of the child user; and
responsive to determining that the account of the purported parent user is not connected to the account of the child user, automatically establishing, by a computer, a connection in the social networking system between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user, the established connection having a connection type indicating a parent-child relationship, wherein the child user is prevented from unilaterally terminating the established connection between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
When a user having an age less than a threshold age (a child user) attempts to access an online service or perform actions using the online service, the online service obtains parental authorization from an additional user having a parental relationship to the user. The child user may identify the user having the parental relationship and the online service verifies the validity of the identified user'"'"'s account, the age of the identified user, and/or a connection between the identified user and the child user having a parental relationship type. The online service may make these verifications based in part social and transactional information associated with the identified user'"'"'s account. Upon successful verification, the online service allows the identified user to authorize account creation for the child user, and/or manage the account and actions of the child user.
88 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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receiving, at a social networking system from a first client device of a purported parent user having an account in the social networking system, a request to regulate actions of a child user having an account in the social networking system that is accessible via a second client device of the child user, the child user having an age that is less than a threshold age; accessing information associated with the account in the social networking system of the purported parent user and accessing information associated with the account in the social networking system of the child user; determining whether a parent-child relationship exists between the purported parent user and the child user based on (1) the information associated with the account of the purported parent user and (2) the information associated with the account of the child user; responsive to determining an existence of a parent-child relationship between the purported parent user and the child user, determining whether the account of the purported parent user is connected to the account of the child user; and responsive to determining that the account of the purported parent user is not connected to the account of the child user, automatically establishing, by a computer, a connection in the social networking system between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user, the established connection having a connection type indicating a parent-child relationship, wherein the child user is prevented from unilaterally terminating the established connection between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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16. A system composing:
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a processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to; receive, at a social networking system from a first client device of a purported parent user having an account in the social networking system, a request to regulate actions of a child user having an account in the social networking system that is accessible via a second client device of the child user, the child user having an age that is less than a threshold age; access information associated with the account in the social networking system of the purported parent user and accessing information associated with the account in the social networking system of the child user; determine whether a parent-child relationship exists between the purported parent user and the child user based on (1) the information associated with the account of the purported parent user and (2) the information associated with the account of the child user; responsive to determining an existence of a parent-child relationship between the purported parent user and the child user, determine whether the account of the purported parent user is connected to the account of the child user; and responsive to determining that the account of the purported parent user is not connected to the account of the child user, automatically establish a connection in the social networking system between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user, the established connection having a connection type indicating a parent-child relationship, wherein the child user is prevented from unilaterally terminating the established connection between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
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receive, at a social networking system from a first client device of a purported parent user having an account in the social networking system, a request to regulate actions of a child having an account in the social networking system that is accessible via a second client device of the child user, the child user having an age that is less than a threshold age; access information associated with the account in the social networking system of the purported parent user and accessing information associated with the account in the social networking system of the child user; determine whether a parent-child relationship exists between the purported parent user and the child user based on (1) the information associated with the account of the purported parent user and (2) the information associated with the account of the child user; responsive to determining an existence of a parent-child relationship between the purported parent user and the child user, determine whether the account of the purported parent user is connected to the account of the child user; and responsive to determining that the account of the purported parent user is not connected to the account of the child user, automatically establish a connection in the social networking system between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user, the established connection having a connection type indicating a parent-child relationship, wherein the child user is prevented from unilaterally terminating the established connection between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification