Patent ID: 8321419

Claim:
A system, comprising: a first data processing system comprising one or more computers and one or more storage devices, the one or more computers configured to perform first operations comprising: receiving information identifying a first primary authority for a first evaluation system from among a plurality of rating authorities, assigning the first primary authority a first amount of authority to rate content, the first amount of authority being equal to a first total amount of authority of the first evaluation system, receiving information originating from the first primary authority delegating at least a portion of the first amount of authority to one or more first contributing authorities, assigning each of the one or more first contributing authorities a respective portion of the first amount of authority, the respective portion of the first amount of authority being based on the portion of the first amount of authority delegated to the corresponding first contributing authority, receiving information specifying content ratings for a first content item by at least one of the first primary authority or one or more of the first contributing authorities, and determining a composite rating for the first content item based on the content ratings for the first content item, wherein the composite rating for the first content item is determined by combining the content ratings according to the portion of the first amount of authority that is held by each authority that rated the first content item; and a second data processing system comprising one or more computers and one or more storage devices, the one or more computers configured to perform second operations comprising: receiving information identifying a second, different primary authority for a second, different evaluation system from among the plurality of rating authorities, assigning the second primary authority a second amount of authority to rate content, the second amount of authority being equal to a second total amount of authority of the second evaluation system, receiving information originating from the second primary authority delegating at least a portion of the second amount of authority to one or more second contributing authorities, and assigning each of the one or more second contributing authorities a respective portion of the second amount of authority, the respective portion of the second amount of authority being based on the portion of the second amount of authority delegated to the corresponding second contributing authority, wherein the first data processing system is further configured to receive information originating from the first primary authority delegating a particular portion of the first amount of authority to the second primary authority and to assign the particular portion of the first amount of authority to the second primary authority.