Patent ID: 8438124

Claim:
A method of responding to a search query, comprising: receiving a request to generate search results based on the search query provided by a user; identifying the search results comprising objects based on semantic relationships with the search query, wherein the objects include web-based content added by users to a web-based networking environment to be shared with other users in the networking environment; wherein, relational attributes of the objects are specified by the users when added to the web-based networking environment, the relational attributes identifying users with permission to share, collect, or book mark the objects; determining a degree of separation between the user and one or more of the objects; and providing the search results comprising the objects to the user, the providing of the objects to include an indication of the degree of separation between the user and the one or more of the objects; automatically recommending additional objects to the user in the networking environment; wherein, the relational attributes further identifies users with permission to ask a question regarding the object.