Third Party System Tracking Mechanism for Online Message Actions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Online systems cannot identify actions initiated by users via messages due to their configuration preventing access to message content, limiting the information available for content selection and user targeting.
Innovation Solution
A tracking mechanism is provided to third-party systems, allowing them to retrieve information on user actions performed in response to messages, which is then transmitted to the online system, enabling identification of actions without accessing message content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the online system is configured to prevent access to message content to maintain user privacy, then user privacy is protected, but the online system cannot identify actions performed by users in response to messages
Solution Approach 1:
A third party system acts as an intermediary between the online system and users. The third party system receives actions from users, stores them in an action log, and can provide this information to the online system without the online system needing to access message content. This mediator enables action tracking while preserving user privacy by keeping the message content inaccessible to the online system.
2Loss of information
If the online system prevents access to message content, then user privacy is maintained, but information about user actions initiated via messages is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The third party system serves as an intermediary that captures user actions and makes them available to the online system without requiring access to message content. This enables the online system to improve content selection and user targeting based on action data while maintaining privacy protections that prevent message content access.
3Reliability
If users perform actions via a third party system external to the online system, then user privacy is protected, but the online system cannot receive information about these actions
Solution Approach 1:
The third party system acts as an intermediary that users can interact with for privacy protection, while simultaneously serving as a bridge to report user actions back to the online system. The third party system logs actions in an action log and can provide this information to the online system, enabling action reporting without compromising user privacy through direct online system access to message content.
Data Source
AI summary
An online system allows users to exchange messages with other users, including entities such as businesses. A user, such as a business, may use a third party system to manage messages with users of the online system. The online system provides the third party information with instructions comprising tracking mechanisms that identify specific actions between users from messages exchanged between users. For example, if a user purchases a product from another user via a message thread, a tracking mechanism identifies the purchase and transmits information reporting the purchase and identifying users to the online system. Hence, the tracking mechanism transmits a description of an action and information identifying the users to the online system, and may also transmit additional information, such as a value of the action to a user. The online system may use the descriptions of actions for content targeting or measurement and reporting of actions.