Patent ID: 8626828

Claim:
A method, comprising: enabling members of an electronic social networking system to submit a request, through the electronic social networking system, to initiate a temporary period, wherein the electronic social networking system comprises a social networking resource that is configured to provide real time interaction between the members; responsive to receiving an input from one of the members to request initiation of a particular temporary time period, selecting a start time and an end time for the particular temporary time period; temporarily modifying the social networking resource to identify the member that sent the input for a duration corresponding to the selected times; and responsive to receiving the input, performing at least one of changing a mode of the electronic social networking system for the particular temporary time period or enabling an electronic purchase, of a good or service that is offered for electronic purchase at a first price before the start time or after the end time, by the members for a second discounted price within the duration; wherein changing the mode of the electronic social networking system for the particular temporary time period further comprises triggering the electronic social networking system to adjust points awarded to the members for performing a predefined action within the duration corresponding to the selected times, and wherein in response to said triggering, member actions corresponding to the predefined action and sent using the electronic social networking system before the start time or after the end time are scored at a first non-zero rate and member actions corresponding to the predefined action and sent using the electronic social networking system within the duration are scored at a second non-zero rate that is greater than the first non-zero rate.