Patent ID: 9509721
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: G06F,H04L

Claim Text:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, at a social networking system from a first client device of a purported parent user having an account in the social networking system, a request to regulate actions of a child user having an account in the social networking system that is accessible via a second client device of the child user, the child user having an age that is less than a threshold age; accessing information associated with the account in the social networking system of the purported parent user and accessing information associated with the account in the social networking system of the child user; determining whether a parent-child relationship exists between the purported parent user and the child user based on (1) the information associated with the account of the purported parent user and (2) the information associated with the account of the child user; responsive to determining an existence of a parent-child relationship between the purported parent user and the child user, determining whether the account of the purported parent user is connected to the account of the child user; and responsive to determining that the account of the purported parent user is not connected to the account of the child user, automatically establishing, by a computer, a connection in the social networking system between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user, the established connection having a connection type indicating a parent-child relationship, wherein the child user is prevented from unilaterally terminating the established connection between the account of the child user and the account of the purported parent user.