Network communication using proof of presence

A method for a first computing system to communicate with a second computing system, the method comprising:

• controlling a proof capture component of the second computing system to automatically generate presence proof that a particular entity is present at the second computing system;
• causing the second computing system to include the generated presence proof when communicating from the second computing system to the first computing system;
• and
• for each of at least one of the one or more communications received from the second computing system, performing the following:
• reading the presence proof from the communication;
• estimating from the presence proof whether the particular entity is present at the second computing system;
• if the estimation is that the particular entity is present at the second computing system, passing the communication thereby treating the particular entity as present at the second computing system;
• and
• if the estimation is not that the particular entity is present at the second computing system, failing the communication thereby treating the communication as not being from the particular entity.

A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having thereon computer-executable instructions that are structured such that, if executed by one or more processors of a first computing system, would cause the first computing system to communicate with a second computing system by:

• controlling a proof capture component of the second computing system to automatically generate presence proof that a particular entity is present at the second computing system;
• causing the second computing system to include the generated presence proof when communicating from the second computing system to the first computing system;
• and
• for each of at least one of the one or more communications received from the second computing system, processing the communication by performing the following:
• reading the presence proof from the communication;
• estimating from the presence proof whether the particular entity is present at the second computing system;
• if the estimation is that the particular entity is present at the second computing system, passing the communication thereby treating the particular entity as present at the second computing system;
• and
• if the estimation is not that the particular entity is present at the second computing system, failing the communication thereby not treating the communication as though the particular entity is present at the second computing system.