Overlay Service for Multi-Identity Management in Social Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in managing multiple accounts across social networking sites and are vulnerable to spam and fraud due to the closed platform nature of existing social networking sites, making it hard to maintain their online presence and interact consistently across different services.
Innovation Solution
An open platform and overlay service that integrates multiple identities and social networks, allowing users to share information and interact seamlessly across different services by creating temporary and permanent identities, managing contact lists, and providing a consistent context for interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users maintain multiple accounts across different social networking sites, then they can access diverse services and communities, but the complexity of account management increases and users cannot maintain all accounts effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an overlay service as an intermediary layer between users and multiple social networking sites. This overlay service consolidates identity management, allowing users to interact with multiple platforms through a single unified interface rather than managing separate accounts directly on each site.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay service provides universal functionality across different social networking sites by implementing a common identity framework that works with multiple platforms simultaneously, enabling users to access diverse services through a single multi-functional system.
2Reliability
If social networking sites use closed platforms to keep users captive, then user retention on individual sites improves, but users face difficulties maintaining presence across multiple sites and become vulnerable to spam and fraud
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identity management function from the individual social networking sites and places it in a separate overlay service. This segmentation allows each site to maintain its closed platform for retention purposes while the overlay handles cross-site identity coordination, reducing user burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay service acts as an intermediary that mediates between the closed platforms of individual social networking sites and the user's need for consistent presence across multiple sites, enabling seamless cross-site interaction without requiring users to manually manage each account.
3Reliability
If temporary identities are used for new users until registration is complete, then security against spam and fraud improves, but the complexity of the registration process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by creating temporary identities for new users before their formal registration is complete. These temporary identities allow users to immediately access basic services and be integrated into the network, while the registration process continues in the background to establish permanent identities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses disposable temporary identities that have limited lifespan and functionality until permanent registration is completed. These temporary identities can be easily created and discarded, providing security against spam and fraud while minimizing the impact on user experience through automated management.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for managing the multiple identities used by a user. The user's existing contact lists, website accounts, buddy lists, and the like are analyzed to determine the identities used by the user. A graph is then constructed in order to track and integrate the multiple identities of the user in a social network. The social network graph may then be used by a social network overlay so that the user can share information across their different identities with different users that only know some of the user's multiple identities.