Patent ID: 8417645
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A social networking system, comprising: memory for storing information associated with followers of one of a plurality of participants of a social network, each of the participants including a person, wherein a plurality of groups of followers are defined by the participant and each group includes followers of a different level of closeness to the participant; and a processor for: receiving content uploaded by the participant; receiving a security attribute for the content from the participant, the security attribute indicating that only followers of a selected one of the groups of followers is allowed access to the content; allowing access to the content by the followers of the selected one of the groups of followers; wherein each of the groups is associated with a different set of content provided to the followers by the participant, such that for each group, followers included in the group are provided a different set of content than followers included in the other groups; displaying to the participant a first one of a plurality of web pages associated with an account of the participant with the social network, the first web page graphically representing a social hierarchy utilizing a plurality of circles displayed on the first web page, each displayed circle representing a different one of the groups including the followers of the different level of closeness to the participant; receiving a selection from the participant of one of the displayed circles via the first web page, and in response to the selection: displaying to the participant the followers included in the group represented by the selected circle; and presenting at least one option to the participant for configuring at least one setting associated with the circle, wherein the at least one option includes an option for configuring a name of the circle.