Using social shares to unlock media files

A computer system comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor system communicatively coupled to the memory;
• the processor system configured to perform a method comprising:
• marking a media file such that it has at least three portions, wherein the marking is based at least in part on a respective duration of time of each of the at least three portions;
• locking all portions of the media file except a first portion of the media file;
• providing, at the end of the first portion, a visual display indicating a first threshold number of shares required to unlock a second portion of the media file;
• tracking a number of shares of the media file;
• receiving a request from a user for notification, via a desired electronic format, that a second portion is unlocked;
• determining, using the processor system, that the number of shares of the media file exceeds the first threshold number of shares;
• unlocking, using the processor system, the second portion of the media file responsive, at least in part, to determining that the number of shares of the media file exceeds the first threshold number of shares;
• transmitting, using the processing system, notification to the user that the second portion is unlocked via the desired electronic format;
• determining, using the processor system, that the number of shares of the media file exceeds a second threshold number of shares, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold, and wherein the second threshold number of shares is an exponential increase from the first threshold number of shares;
• and
• unlocking, using the processor system, a third portion of the media file responsive, at least in part, to determining that the number of shares of the media file exceeds the second threshold number of shares.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions readable by a processor system to cause the processor system to perform a method comprising:
• marking a media file such that it has at least three portions, wherein the marking is based at least in part on a respective duration of time of each of the at least three portions;
• locking all portions of the media file except the first portion of the media file;
• providing, at the end of the first portion, a visual display indicating a first threshold number of shares required to unlock a second portion of the media file;
• tracking a number of shares of the media file;
• receiving a request from a user for notification, via a desired electronic format, that a second portion is unlocked;
• unlocking, using the processor system, the second portion of the media file responsive, at least in part, to determining that the number of shares of the media file exceeds the first threshold number of shares;
• transmitting, using the processing system, notification to the user that the second portion is unlocked via the desired electronic format;
• determining, using the processor system, that the number of shares of the media file exceeds a second threshold number of shares, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold, and wherein the second threshold number of shares is an exponential increase from the first threshold number of shares;
• and
• unlocking, using the processor system, a third portion of the media file responsive, at least in part, to determining that the number of shares of the media file exceeds the second threshold number of shares.