System and method to facilitate social browsing

A local system for operation with at least one instance of a web browser of a source client system operated by a first user, with a remote social browsing infrastructure system, and at least one target client system operated by a second user for purposes of redirecting a browser operating on the target client system to a location URL, the local system comprising:

• a listener module comprising:
• a client module adapted to maintain a communication connection with the remote social browsing infrastructure system;
• and
• a server module adapted to maintain, with each of a plurality of instances of a browser plug-in, a tool bar communication connection therewith;
• each instance of the browser plug-in operating in conjunction with an instance of browser and being adapted to:
• establish the toolbar communication connection to the listener module;
• render a redirect control in association with the instance of the browser;
• and
• upon user activation of the redirect control, generate a properties request to the instance of the browser to a location URL, the location URL being a URL of a web page being rendered by the instance of the browser at the time of the properties request;
• receive identification of the location URL from the instance of the local browser in response to the properties request;
• obtain an identification associated with the second user;
• and
• generate an outbound redirect invite method call to the listener module utilizing the toolbar communication connection therewith, the outbound redirect invite method call comprising identification of the location URL and the identification associated with the second user;
• and
• the listener module comprising an outbound redirect invite method responsive to the outbound redirect invite method call and being adapted to generate a redirect invite method call to the remote social browsing infrastructure systems over the communication connection therewith, the redirect invite method call comprising at least the identification of the location URL and the identification associated with the second user.

A plug-in to a local browser operated by a first user for redirecting a remote browser operating on at least one target client system operated by a second user to a location URL, the plug-in comprising:

• a tool bar graphical user interface adapted to render a redirect control in association with an instance of the browser;
• an invite function operating in response to user activation of the redirect control, the invite function being adapted to:
• generate a properties request to the browser to obtain a location URL, the location URL being a URL of a web page being rendered by the browser at the time of the properties request;
• receive identification of the location URL in response to the properties request;
• obtain an identification associated with the second user;
• and
• initiate transfer of the location URL to the second user.

A social browsing system for operation with a source client system operated by a first user and at least one target client system operated by a second user, each of the source client system and each target client system comprising a web browser executing thereon, the social browsing system comprising:

• a social browsing infrastructure system;
• and
• a local component for installation on each of the source client system and the target client system, the local component comprising source functions and target functions;
• the source functions being adapted to:
• render a redirect control in association with an instance of the web browser;
• in response to user activation of the redirect control, obtain a location URL from the web browser, the location being a URL of web content being rendered by the instance of the browser;
• and
• generate a redirect invite to the social browsing infrastructure system, the redirect invite comprising at least identification of the location URL and an identification of second user;
• the social browsing infrastructure system being adapted to, in response to receiving the redirect invite:
• identify the target client system operated by the second user;
• generate an inbound redirect invite to the target client system;
• and
• identify an advertisement placement related to at least one of:
• i) web content at the location URL;
• and ii) behavioral data related to the second user;
• and
• provide the advertisement placement to the target client system;
• the target functions being adapted to, in response to receipt of the inbound redirect invite;
• initiate a connection to the location URL for rendering of the web content;
• and
• render the advertisement placement in association with the web content.