Patent ID: 8924482

Claim:
A method of policing online events within an online community comprising a plurality of users having corresponding user information stored in a user database, the method comprising: receiving data indicative of an online event from a user of said plurality of users of the online community, the online event having been performed by a current user of the online community or by a prospective user of the online community; forming a jury by selecting a plurality of eligible users to evaluate the data indicative of the event with respect to rules for the online community stored in a rules database; receiving data indicative of an evaluation by the jury of the data indicative of the event with respect to the rules for the online community, and electronically taking an action in respect of corresponding stored user information of a the current or prospective user who performed the event based on the jury evaluation of the data with respect to the rules for the online community; wherein the rules specify one or more of, (i) ethical behavior of the online community (ii) courteous behavior of the online community, (iii) behavior that accords with stipulated values of the online community (iv) lawful behavior of the online community, and (v) conditions of membership of the online community.