Method and apparatus for dynamically providing privacy-policy information to a user
AssigneeAbode Systems Incorporated
InventorBill Shapiro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates dynamically providing privacy-policy information to a user to facilitate compliance with privacy laws. The system operates by receiving a request from the user to access digital content at a client. Upon receiving a request, the system sends a notification to a server, including information about the request. Next, the system receives a response from the server at the client, wherein the response includes privacy-policy instructions. Alternatively, the response could include the entire privacy policy. The system then allows the user to access the digital content at the client in accordance with the privacy-policy instructions.
Claims20
A method for providing privacy-policy information to a user to facilitate compliance with privacy laws, the method comprising:
- using a client computer to perform:
- receiving, by a client-based application executing on the client computer, a request from the user to access digital content via the client-based application,
- wherein at a time the request is received, the digital content is stored on the client computer and the user is not yet allowed to access the digital content;
- sending, by the client-based application, a notification to a server, wherein the notification comprises information about the request;
- receiving, by the client-based application, a response from the server, wherein the response comprises privacy-policy instructions,
- wherein the privacy-policy instructions specify conditions for accessing the digital content stored on the client computer, and
- wherein the privacy-policy instructions indicate whether a privacy warning dialog should be displayed to the user;
- determining, by the client-based application, whether to display the privacy warning dialog dependent on the privacy-policy instructions;
- in response to determining that the privacy warning dialog should be displayed, displaying, by the client-based application, the privacy warning dialog;
- and
- allowing, by the client-based application, the user to access the digital content stored on the client computer via the client-based application,
- wherein said allowing is dependent on whether the conditions for accessing the digital content are satisfied.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions that when executed by a client computer cause the computer to perform a method for providing privacy-policy information to a user to facilitate compliance with privacy laws, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a client-based application executing on the client computer, a request from a user to access digital content via the client-based application,
- wherein at a time the request is received, the digital content is stored on the client computer and the user is not yet allowed to access the digital content;
- sending, by the client-based application, a notification to a server, wherein the notification comprises information about the request;
- receiving, by the client-based application, a response from the server, wherein the response includes privacy-policy instructions,
- wherein the privacy-policy instructions specify conditions for accessing the digital content stored on the client computer, and
- wherein the privacy-policy instructions indicate whether a privacy warning dialog should be displayed to the user;
- determining, by the client-based application, whether to display the privacy warning dialog dependent on the privacy-policy instructions;
- in response to determining that the privacy warning dialog should be displayed, displaying, by the client-based application, the privacy warning dialog;
- and
- allowing, by the client-based application, the user to access the digital content stored on the client computer via the client-based application,
- wherein said allowing is dependent on whether the conditions for accessing the digital content are satisfied.
An apparatus that provides privacy-policy information to a user to facilitate compliance with privacy laws, the apparatus comprising:
- a receiving mechanism of a client-based application executing on a client computer configured to receive a request from the user to access digital content via the client-based application,
- wherein at a time the request is received, the digital content is stored on the client computer and the user is not yet allowed to access the digital content;
- a sending mechanism of the client-based application configured to send a notification to a server,
- wherein the notification comprises information about the request;
- wherein the receiving mechanism of the client-based application is additionally configured to receive a response from the server,
- wherein the response comprises privacy-policy instructions, wherein the privacy-policy instructions specify conditions for accessing the digital content stored on the client computer, and
- wherein the privacy-policy instructions indicate whether a privacy warning dialog should be displayed to the user;
- and
- an access mechanism of the client-based application configured to:
- determine whether to display the privacy warning dialog dependent on the privacy-policy instructions;
- in response to determining that the privacy warning dialog should be displayed, displaying, by the client-based application, the privacy warning dialog;
- and
- allow the user to access the digital content stored on the client computer via the client-based application,
- wherein said allowing is dependent on whether the conditions for accessing the digital content are satisfied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.