Browser-Side Mention Detection for Cross-Service Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing social networking platforms face challenges in identifying and notifying users of mentions across different online services without compromising user privacy or requiring extensive server-side modifications.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that detects mentions in textual content input by users, identifies social network members while maintaining privacy, and provides type-ahead suggestions using a browser-side script and sandboxed display elements, embedding microformat identifiers to enable seamless @mentions without server code changes, allowing for notifications to be sent without sharing private user information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If server-side code modifications are implemented to enable cross-service mention identification, then mention detection capability is improved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mention provider as an intermediary service that sits between users and multiple content services. This intermediary handles mention detection, user identification, and notification delivery without requiring modifications to the content services themselves. The mention provider receives mentions from various services, processes them through its own system, and delivers notifications to users, thereby solving the technical contradiction by eliminating the need for complex server-side modifications across multiple services.
2Measurement precision
If detailed user information is shared between content provider and social networking service, then mention notification accuracy is improved, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and separates user identification information from the content provider's system. Instead of sharing detailed user information between content providers and social networking services, the system uses a user ID that is generated and managed by the mention provider. This extracted identifier enables accurate mention notification while preventing content providers from accessing or storing sensitive user information, thereby resolving the contradiction between notification accuracy and privacy protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by providing different levels of information access to different parties. The mention provider has full access to user information for accurate notification, while content providers receive only the minimal necessary information (user ID) without access to personal details. This differentiated information distribution enables precise mention detection and notification while maintaining user privacy, as each party receives only the quality of information they need for their specific function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If integration between social networking service and content provider is implemented, then user interaction capability is improved, but ease of operation and implementation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mention notification system into distinct functional components: content services that generate mentions, a mention provider that processes mentions, and notification services that deliver alerts. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently with well-defined interfaces, improving ease of operation and implementation while maintaining versatile user interaction capabilities. Content providers can integrate mention functionality without modifying their core systems, as the mention provider handles processing through standardized interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments of the invention a method provides for processing a mention in textual content being input to a content provider. The method can include detecting input by a user of the content provider of the mention and identifying a member of a mention provider such as a social network based on the mention while maintaining privacy of information about the member with respect to the content provider. In some embodiments a computer program product for processing the mention includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. In some embodiments of the invention, a system for processing the mention includes a computer system readable media with a program module embodied therewith to detect the mention in the textual content as provided to a content provider. A network adapter with the system can provide the program module or program modules over a network.