Patent ID: 8700618

Claim:
One or more persistent storage devices collectively containing a content sharing tracking data structure for distinguished content, the data structure for access by an application executed on a computing device and comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising: information indicating a first URL assigned to a first user, the first URL configured to access the distinguished content, wherein the first URL was assigned to the first user as a direct result of the first user accessing the distinguished content using a second URL and the second URL being modified to obtain the first URL, and wherein the modifying comprises one or more of: automatically substituting, in an application used to access the distinguished content, the first URL for the second URL; performing a redirect operation from the second URL to the first URL; and modifying the second URL in an address bar of a web browser; and information either (1) identifying an entry indicating an identifier for a second user who has accessed the distinguished content and shared the distinguished content with the first user indicated by the current entry or (2) indicating that the first user originated the distinguished content, such that the contents of the data structure may be used to determine sharing patterns for the distinguished content.