AUTHORIZATION AND AUTHENTICATION BASED ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S SOCIAL NETWORK

• US 20100180032A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Friendster Incorporated (Mol.com Bhd.)
• Inventors: LUNT, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70

Abstract

An individual'"'"'s social network is used to authorize information flow to the individual and to authenticate the individual for access to certain information or services. Information flow to the individual is authorized if the source of the information is a member of the individual'"'"'s social network who is connected to the individual along a path that does not traverse through anyone on a gray list of the individual. The black list identifies those members who previously sent unwanted communication to the individual or posted content that was deemed offensive by the individual. The gray list identifies those members who are one degree separated from any black list member. The individual is authenticated for access to certain information or services if a member of the individual'"'"'s social network already has access and this member is connected to the individual along a path that does not traverse through anyone on a gray list of the individual, or if members of the individual'"'"'s social network who are connected to the individual along a path that does not traverse through anyone on a gray list of the individual have an average authentication rating that is at least a minimum value.

Claims

1. A method of blocking an individual'"'"'s access to a social network, comprising:

receiving content from the individual, wherein the content includes identifying information of the individual;

determining if the individual is in a blacklist based on the identifying information, wherein the blacklist is generated to prohibit access to the social network or a member of the social network; and

blocking access to the social network or the member of the social network if the individual is in the blacklist.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the blacklist comprises one or more individuals selected by a member of the social network to block from access in the social network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein blocking access to the social network or the member of the social network further comprises:

generating a gray list of individuals based on social connections of the individuals in the blacklist; and

blocking access to the social network or the member of the social network of individuals on the gray list.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the gray list is limited to individuals who are separated by one degree from the members of the blacklist in the social network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein blocking access to the social network or the member of the social network if the individual is separated from the member of the social network by a predetermined degree of separation from the member.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the individual is in the blacklist based on the identifying information is determined by a third party service provider and the third party service provider blocks access to the social network or the member of the social network if the individual is in the blacklist.

7. A system for blocking an individual'"'"'s access to a social network, comprising:

a database storing blacklist information; and

a processing unit configured receive content from the individual, wherein the content includes identifying information of the individual,

the processing unit further configured to determine if the individual is included in the stored blacklist information based on the identifying information,

wherein the blacklist information is generated to prohibit access to the social network or a member of the social network, and

wherein the processing unit blocks access to the social network or the member of the social network if the individual is included in the blacklist information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the blacklist information comprises one or more individuals selected by a member of the social network to block from access in the social network.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing unit further comprises being configured to:

generate a graylist of individuals based on social connections of the individuals included in the blacklist information; and

block access to the social network or the member of the social network of all individuals on the graylist.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the graylist is limited to individuals who are separated by one degree from the members included in the blacklist information in the social network.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein access to the social network or the member of the social network is blocked if the individual is separated from the member of the social network by a predetermined degree of separation from the member.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing unit that determines if the individual is included in the blacklist information based on the identifying information is part of a third party service provider system and the third party service provider system blocks access to the social network or the member of the social network if the individual is included in the blacklist information.