# US 2008/0189768 A1 · System and method for determining a trust level in a social network environment

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2008/0189768 A1
- Document ID: US20080189768A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/701,595
- Filed: 2007-02-02
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02
- Assignees: Facebook, Inc.
- Inventors: Ezra Callahan; Aditya Agarwal; Charlie Cheever; Chris Puntnam; Bob Trahan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080189768A1

## CPC

- H04L 63/105: {Multiple levels of security}
- G06Q 10/40: Business processes related to social networking or social networking services
- H04L 63/104: {Grouping of entities}
- H04L 67/30: Profiles
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A system and method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network is described. The method includes monitoring requests for social network interactions between an approved user and the non-approved user and determining if each interaction requested is of a first type or a second type. The method further includes increasing a first trust value when the interaction requested is of the first type and increasing a second trust value when the interaction requested is of the second type. The method further includes determining the trust level based on the first trust value and the second trust value. The method further includes changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level, the first trust value and/or the second trust value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network comprising:
receiving a request for an interaction from an approved user regarding the non-approved user;
determining if the interaction requested is of a first type;
modifying a first trust value for the non-approved user when the interaction requested is of the first type;
determining if the interaction requested is of a second type;
modifying a second trust value for the non-approved user when the interaction requested is of the second type; and
determining a trust level for the non-approved user based on the first trust value and the second trust value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the first trust value and the second trust value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of interaction requested comprises inviting the non-approved user to be a friend, accepting an invitation from the non-approved user to become a friend, poking the non-approved user, posting a message on the non-approved user's wall, tagging non-approved user, and confirming non-approved user's tag.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of interaction and the second type of interaction are not the same type of interaction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of interaction requested comprises accepting an invitation from the non-approved user to become a friend of the non-approved user or inviting the non-approved user to be a friend, and the second type of interaction requested comprises tagging the non-approved user or confirming the non-approved user's tag.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a request for a social network interaction from the non-approved user;
presenting a challenge to the non-approved user;
receiving a response to the challenge from the non-approved user; and
providing the social network interaction to the non-approved user if the response meets a predefined condition.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the challenge is a Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the challenge is presented for every request received.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising presenting a second challenge when the response does not meet the predefined condition.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising determining whether to present a challenge based on the trust level of the non-approved user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a probability based on the trust level and wherein the step of determining whether to present the challenge is based on the probability.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining whether to present a challenge further comprises determining a frequency for presenting the challenge based on the trust level.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first trust value is not increased when a second interaction request of the first type has been received from the approved user regarding the non-approved user.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second trust value is not increased when a second interaction request of the second type has been received from the approved user regarding the non-approved user.

### Claim 16

A method for changing a status of a user in a social network comprising:
receiving a telephone number from the user;
sending a message to a device coupled to the telephone number;
receiving a response to the message from the user;
determining if the response meets a predetermined criteria; and
changing the status of the user when the response meets the predetermined criteria.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein changing the status of the user comprises changing the status of a non-approved user to the status of an approved user.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined criteria comprises receiving the response within a predetermined period of time after the message is sent.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the telephone number is received over the internet.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the response is received over the internet.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the message is an image.

### Claim 22

A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computing device for performing a method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network, the method comprising:
receiving a request for an interaction from an approved user regarding the non-approved user;
determining if the interaction requested is of a first type;
modifying a first trust value for the non-approved user when the interaction requested is of the first type;
determining if the interaction requested is of a second type;
modifying a second trust value for the non-approved user when the interaction requested is of the second type; and
determining a trust level for the non-approved user based on the first trust value and the second trust value.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The computer readable medium of claim 22, further comprising:
receiving a request for a social network interaction from the non-approved user;
presenting a challenge to the non-approved user;
receiving a response to the challenge from the non-approved user; and
providing the social network interaction to the non-approved user if the response meets a predefined condition.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The computer readable medium of claim 22, further comprising changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The computer readable medium of claim 22, further comprising changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based the first trust value and the second trust value.

### Claim 26

A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computing device for performing a method for changing a status of a user in a social network, the method comprising:
receiving a telephone number from the user;
sending a message to a device coupled to the telephone number;
receiving a response to the message from the user;
determining if the response meets a predetermined criteria; and
changing the status of the user when the response meets the predetermined criteria.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein changing the status of the user comprises changing the status of a non-approved user to the status of an approved user.

### Claim 28

A system for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network comprising:
a social network provider configured to receive a request for a social network interaction from an approved user regarding the non-approved user; and
a trust engine configured to:
determine if the interaction requested is of a first type;
change a first trust value for the non-approved user when the interaction requested is of the first type;
determine if the interaction requested is of a second type;
change a second trust value for the non-approved user when the interaction requested is of the second type; and
determine a trust level for the non-approved user based on the first trust value and the second trust value.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The system of claim 28, further comprising a challenge module configured to:
receive a request for a social network interaction from the non-approved user;
present a challenge to the non-approved user;
receive a response to the challenge from the non-approved user; and
provide the social network interaction to the non-approved user if the response meets a predefined condition.

### Claim 30

A system for changing a status of a user in a social network comprising:
a verify component configured to:
receive a telephone number from the user;
send a message to a device coupled to the telephone number;
receive a response to the message from the user;
determine if the response meets a predetermined criteria; and
change the status of the user when the response meets the predetermined criteria.