Patent ID: 8925014

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, by a system including a server, a selection of a television program, to determine a selected television program listed in an electronic programming guide, wherein the selection of the television program is received from a first set top box; providing, by the system, a recommendation graphical user interface associated with the selected television program to the first set top box in response to the selection of the television program; receiving, by the system, a selection from the first set top box of a recommendation soft button displayed on the recommendation graphical user interface, wherein the selection of the recommendation soft button corresponds to a first user rating for the selected television program; receiving, by the system and from the first set top box, a list of users of a plurality of users allowed to view the first user rating; storing, by the system, a second user rating for the selected television program, wherein the second user rating is received from a second set top box associated with the first set top box; adjusting, by the system, a group rating for the selected television program based on the first and second user ratings; receiving, by the system, from a particular user of the plurality of users, identification of selected users of the plurality of users from which recommendations are sought; determining, by the system, those users of the selected users that have made recommendations, to determine recommending users; providing, by the system, the electronic programming guide to equipment of the particular user with recommendation icons for the recommending users of the plurality of users associated with television programs listed on the electronic programming guide to the set top box for presentation; receiving, by the system, a selection of one of the recommendation icons in the electronic programming guide, wherein the selection of the one of the recommendation icons is received from a set top box of the particular user; providing, by the system, information associated with the selected one of the recommendation icons to the set top box for presentation responsive to a determination that viewing of the information has been authorized by an author of the information; and providing end user devices with access to the group rating for the selected television program.