Systems and methods for acquiring, categorizing and delivering media in interactive media guidance applications

A method for notifying a second user about media selected by a first user, to be shared with the second user, the method comprising:

• receiving a selection of the media from the first user at a first user device;
• receiving a request from the first user at the first user device to notify a second user at a second user device about the selected media;
• and
• based on receiving the request:
• retrieving, from a data structure that indexes known contacts of the first user, an address at which electronic communications may be directed to the second user;
• retrieving, from a media guidance data source, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of an Internet source that provides the selected media;
• generating an electronic communication that is directed to the second user based on the retrieved address and the URL of the Internet source, wherein the electronic communication comprises the URL of the Internet source that provides the selected media and an identifier of the first user;
• transmitting the electronic communication to the second user at the second user device;
• and
• causing, based on transmitting the electronic communication, the selected media to be added to a menu of recommended media that will be generated for display to the second user based on the second user accessing an account of the second user.

A system for notifying a second user about a media selected by a first user, to be shared with the second user, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:

• receive a selection of the media from a first user at a first user device;
• receive a request from the first user at the first user device to notify a second user at a second user device about the selected media;
• and
• based on receiving the request:
• retrieve, from a data structure that indexes known contacts of the first user, an address at which electronic communications may be directed to the second user;
• retrieve, from a media guidance database, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a Internet Source that provides the selected media;
• generate an electronic communication that is directed to the second user based on the retrieved address and the URL of the Internet Source, wherein the electronic communication comprises the URL of the Internet Source that provides the selected media and an identifier of the first user;
• and
• transmit the electronic communication to the second user at the second user device;
• and
• cause, based on transmitting the electronic communication, the selected media to be added to a menu of recommended media that will be generated for display to the second user based on the second user accessing an account of the second user.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon for notifying a second user about a media selected by a first user, to be shared with the second user, the instructions comprising:

• an instruction to receive a selection of the media from a first user at a first user device;
• an instruction to receive a request from the first user at the first user device to notify a second user at a second user device about the selected media;
• and
• based on receiving the request:
• an instruction to retrieve, from a data structure that indexes known contacts of the first user, an address at which electronic communications may be directed to the second user;
• an instruction to retrieve, from a media guidance database, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a Internet Source that provides the selected media;
• an instruction to generate an electronic communication that is directed to the second user based on the retrieved address and the URL of the Internet Source, wherein the electronic communication comprises the URL of the Internet Source that provides the selected media and an identifier of the first user;
• and
• an instruction to transmit the electronic communication to the second user at the second user device;
• and
• an instruction to cause, based on transmitting the electronic communication, the selected media to be added to a menu of recommended media that will be generated for display to the second user based on the second user accessing an account of the second user.