Patent ID: 8887189

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, at a second device, a device identifier that identifies a first device and an authentication code, the first device being capable of causing display of first content at a first display device; communicating, from the second device, a synchronization request that includes the device identifier via a network, wherein the synchronization request is communicated to a remote server configured to provide for covert and overt synchronization of the first content, wherein the synchronization request further comprises the authentication code, wherein the remote server processes the synchronization request to authenticate the authentication code to determine whether to permit covert synchronization with the first device; determining whether to permit covert or overt synchronization, wherein covert synchronization is permitted if the authentication code validates, and overt synchronization is permitted if the authentication code does not validate and a viewer of first content at the first devices approves of overt synchronization by affirmatively responding to an overt synchronization request presented via the first display device; receiving an event message at the second device from the first device via the network, the event message identifying the first content being displayed at the first display device, wherein the event message is useable to synchronize second content the second device causes display at a second display device with the first content the first device is causing display at the first display device, wherein the event message includes metadata describing the first content, wherein the second device causes display of a graphical user interface when the metadata satisfies a condition and automatically displays the first content at the second display device instead of the second content based on the event message when the metadata satisfies the condition.