Patent ID: 7734700

Claim:
A method for automatically sharing digital images over a communication network, comprising the steps of: a service provider providing an owner account for storing the digital images on a server on behalf of said owner and for accessing the account over the communication network; said server receiving digital images over said communication network from two or more individual users other than said owner who have been given write access by the owner for placement of digital images in said owner account; said server sending a single electronic notification over said communication network to said owner that new digital images from said two or more users other than said owner have been placed in a folder of the owner account; sending a message to another individual from the server inviting said individual to become a subscriber to said folder for accessing said digital image placed in said folder; selectively controlling access to said folder by said subscriber including providing to the subscriber a subscriber account that, if so selected by the owner, included a permission level limiting the subscriber's access to the digital images or that, if so selected by the owner, includes a permission level that does not limit the subscriber's access to the digital images; and sending said notification based on a predetermined criterion wherein said predetermined criterion comprises a defined number of sources.