Patent ID: 8554891

Claim:
A computer implemented method for maintaining a social network and providing corresponding access to digital content, the computer implemented method comprising: organizing, by a computer, a social network wherein social groups respectively obtain a collective bargaining power based on usage of the social network by a respective social group and engage in shared communications, the social network comprising at least one defined social group having a plurality of members; identifying, by a computer, a plurality of content items collectively corresponding to content resource devices of the plurality of members of the defined social group, said content resource devices being separate from computing devices used by the plurality of members to access the social network; maintaining, by a computer, feedback information for the plurality of content items based upon feedback respectively provided by members of the defined social group in relation to the plurality of content items; providing, by a computer, the feedback information for the plurality of content items to members of the defined social group; and reporting, by a computer, acquisition of respective items of the plurality of content items by members of the given defined social group to an online resource, said acquisition of respective items being acquired through a discounted access negotiated by the collective bargaining power by members of the given defined social group, wherein said usage of the social network is defined by an amount of feedback information for the plurality of content items, and wherein the collective bargaining power is a subscription model for acquiring content through the discounted access, and wherein the discounted access comprises a discounted rate or a group rate that is lower than an individual rate.