Patent ID: 8738764
Filing Date: 2014-05-27
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for controlling communications, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising: associating a communication-control policy with a contact rather than associating the communication-control policy with specific aliases of the contact such that the communication-control policy is applied to communications with the contact regardless of a communication mechanism used for the communications; identifying a first communication attempted by a child via a first communication mechanism; identifying, within the first communication, a first alias associated with a destination of the first communication; after identifying the first alias, determining that the first alias represents the contact; blocking the first communication as directed by the communication-control policy due to the association between the first communication and the contact; identifying a second communication attempted via a second communication mechanism that is different than the first communication mechanism, the second communication being attempted by the child as a result of the first communication being blocked; identifying, within the second communication, a second alias associated with a destination of the second communication; after identifying the second alias, determining that the second alias represents the contact; blocking the second communication as directed by the communication-control policy due to the association between the second communication and the contact.