Patent ID: 7567921

Claim:
For use over a global communications network having company nodes and constituency nodes associated therewith, a method of operating an electronic commerce system having a data repository and a communications controller, said method of operation comprising: storing data files associated with said company nodes in said data repository, wherein said company nodes populate respective associated data files with company information and wherein each set of said company information relates to a specific company that is represented by a specific company node; allowing said specific company node to modify said set of said company information that is stored in said data files relating to said specific company; allowing said specific company node to control times at which selected portions of said set of said company information in said data files relating to said specific company are first made available to said constituency nodes; propagating communication interfaces accessible by said constituency nodes and facilitating access by said constituency nodes to said selected portions of said set of said company information, wherein said communication interfaces are propagated under control of said specific company node in a manner that ensures compliance with one or more governmental disclosure requirements applicable to one or more companies associated with the company nodes; and gathering feedback information representative of constituency response to said constituency nodes accessing said communication interfaces.