Content rating and control

A system for restricting access to a set of content elements with content ratings by a content distributor, comprising

• a content server in communication with a network, wherein the network is in communication with a device;
• the content server including:
• a processor for controlling the operations of the content server;
• and
• a memory for storing data and program instructions used by the processor wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:
• receive a request from the device to access a set of content elements;
• identify at least a content descriptor and a content rating for each content element within the set of content elements, wherein the respective content rating for a particular content element is dependent on, at least in part, an amount and type of information sharing that the particular content element is configured to perform, wherein the information sharing is at least one of the group consisting of:
• disclosing an identity of a user, allowing communication between the device user and other device users, and disclosing a location of the device;
• identify a range within the content ratings;
• identify content elements with content ratings that are within the range;
• transmit at least the content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are within the range to the device for display on the device to permit a device user to access the content elements by content descriptor, wherein content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are outside the range are not transmitted to the device;
• receive a content element with a content rating;
• generate an updated content rating for the content element;
• and
• revise the content rating to the updated content rating.

A method for a device to restrict access to a set of content elements with content ratings, comprising:

• sending a request to a content server to access a set of content elements, wherein the content server:
• identifies at least a content descriptor and a content rating for each content element within the set of content elements, wherein the respective content rating for a particular content element is dependent on, at least in part, an amount and type of information sharing that the particular content element is configured to perform, wherein the information sharing is at least one of the group consisting of:
• disclosing an identity of a user, allowing communication between the device user and other device users, and disclosing a location of the device;
• identifies a range within the content ratings;
• identifies content elements with content ratings that are within the range;
• and
• transmits at least the content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are within the range to the device for display on the device;
• receiving at least some content descriptors wherein at least some content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are outside of the range are not received by the device;
• rendering the received content descriptors on a display on the device;
• accessing at least one content element by content descriptor;
• sending feedback to the content server on the accuracy of the content rating for a content element accessed by the device, wherein the content server:
• generates an updated content rating for the content element;
• revises the content rating to the updated content rating;
• sends notification to the device user of the updated content rating;
• and
• receiving notification of the updated content rating.