# US 9,633,124 B2 · Managing access rights to content using social media > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,633,124 B2 - Document ID: US9633124B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/333,294 - Filed: 2014-07-16 - Published: 2016-01-21 - Granted: 2017-04-25 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-16 - Assignees: thePlatform, LLC - Applicants: ThePlatform, LLC - Inventors: Christian Peterson; Adam Hertz; John Dixon; Sam Schwartz; Preston Smalley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9633124B2 ## CPC - G06F 16/955: using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL] - G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Provided are methods and systems related to communications between a social media service or provider (e.g., Twitter®, Facebook®) or other resource (e.g., web page) and one or more content providers. In an aspect, provided are methods comprising receiving a request for content, wherein the request comprises a user agnostic identifier, determining user information associated with the request, determining time information associated with the request, determining media content associated with the user agnostic identifier based on the time information, determining one or more access rights to the media content based on the user information, and providing access to the media content based on the one or more access rights. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving, at a first device, a request for content, wherein the request comprises a user agnostic identifier, wherein the request was initiated by a user interaction with an interface element of a social media platform; determining user information associated with the request; determining time information associated with the request, wherein the time information comprises a current time; determining, by querying a second device, content associated with the user agnostic identifier and available at the current time; determining one or more access rights to the content based on the user information; and providing access to the content based on the one or more access rights. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the request is based on a message, wherein the request comprises a first user specific identifier configured to identify a first user originating the message, and wherein the user information is determined based on the first user specific identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the request comprises a second user specific identifier configured to identify a second user receiving the message, and wherein the user information is determined based on the second user specific identifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: updating a tracking database based on the user information and the content, wherein the tracking database is configured to provide statistical information regarding content consumption. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the time information comprises at least one of a time the request is received and a time the request is initiated by a user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining content associated with the user agnostic identifier and available at the current time comprises determining content that is available during a time span indicated by the time information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user agnostic identifier is stored as an attribute of the interface element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the interface element comprises a button inserted by into a social media message of a user. ### Claim 9 A method, comprising: receiving, at a first device, a request for content, wherein the request comprises a user agnostic identifier, wherein the request was initiated by a user interaction with an interface element of a social media platform; determining user information associated with the request; determining time information associated with the request, wherein the time information comprises a current time; querying a plurality of second devices for content associated with the user agnostic identifier and available at the current time, wherein at least one of the plurality of second devices is configured to determine access rights based on the user information; receiving, from at least a portion of the plurality of second devices, one or more options available to a first user for accessing the content based on the access rights; and providing the one or more options to the first user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the request is based on a message received by the first user, wherein the request comprises a first user specific identifier configured to identify the first user receiving the message, and wherein the user information is determined based on the first user specific identifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the request comprises a second user specific identifier configured to identify a second user originating the message, and wherein the user information is determined based on the second user specific identifier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: updating a tracking database based on the user information and the content, wherein the tracking database is configured to provide statistical information regarding content consumption. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the time information comprises at least one of a time the request is received and a time the request is initiated by the first user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein querying the plurality of second devices for content associated with the user agnostic identifier and available at the current time comprises determining content that is available during a time span indicated by the time information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the interface element comprises a button inserted into a social media message of a user. ### Claim 16 A system, comprising: a memory having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions; and a processor functionally coupled to the memory and configured, by the computer-executable instructions, to perform at least the following actions, receiving a request for content, wherein the request comprises a user agnostic identifier, wherein the request was initiated by a user interaction with an interface element of a social media platform; determining user information associated with the request; determining time information associated with the request, wherein the time information comprises a current time; determining, by querying a device, content associated with the user agnostic identifier and available at the current time; determining one or more access rights to the content based on the user information; and providing access to the content based on the one or more access rights. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the request for content is based on a message, wherein the request comprises a first user specific identifier configured to identify a first user originating the message, and wherein the user information is determined based on the first user specific identifier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the request comprises a second user specific identifier configured to identify a second user receiving the message, and wherein the user information is determined based on the second user specific identifier. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured for: updating a tracking database based on the user information and the content, wherein the tracking database is configured to provide statistical information regarding content consumption. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the interface element comprises a button inserted into a social media message of a user.