Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products in social services

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for providing user identity management in social services. An apparatus may include a processor configured to monitor a first user's behavior on a social service. The processor may be further configured to generate a first user behavior model representative of the first user's behavior over a period of time on the social service based at least in part upon the first user's monitored behavior. The processor may additionally be configured to provide the first user guidance about the first user's behavior based at least in part upon the first user behavior model. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

1 . A method comprising:
 monitoring a first user's behavior on a social service;   generating, with a processor, a first user behavior model representative of the first user's behavior over a period of time on the social service based at least in part upon the first user's monitored behavior; and   providing the first user guidance about the first user's behavior based at least in part upon the first user behavior model.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing behavior of the first user over a first period of time to the first user behavior model to determine whether the first user's recent behavior over the first period of time deviates from the first user's behavior over a longer period of time; and   wherein providing the first user guidance comprises notifying the first user when the first user's behavior over the first period of time deviates from the first user's behavior over the longer period of time.   
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the first user behavior model to a community behavior model representative of an aggregate community behavior for a plurality of users of the social service based at least in part upon an aggregation of the behavior of the plurality of users of the social service to determine whether the first user's behavior deviates from the community behavior; and   wherein providing the first user guidance comprises providing the first user guidance based at least in part upon the comparison between the first user's behavior and the community behavior.   
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein providing the first user guidance comprises providing the first user guidance about an action in which the first user is engaging on the social service to enable the first user to maintain a consistent identity on the social service based at least in part upon the first user behavior model. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 maintaining at least one of a second behavior model representative of a second user's behavior on the social service or a third behavior model representative of an aggregate community behavior for a plurality of users of the social service based at least in part upon an aggregation of the behavior of the plurality of users of the social service; and   providing the first user with advice on how to behave in a social interaction on the social service based at least in part upon at least one of the second behavior model or the third behavior model.   
   
   
       6 . A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising:
 a program instruction for monitoring a first user's behavior on a social service;   a program instruction for generating a first user behavior model representative of the first user's behavior over a period of time on the social service based at least in part upon the first user's monitored behavior; and   a program instruction for providing the first user guidance about the first user's behavior based at least in part upon the first user behavior model.   
   
   
       7 . A computer program product according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a program instruction for comparing behavior of the first user over a first period of time to the first user behavior model to determine whether the first user's behavior over the first period of time deviates from the first user's average behavior over a longer period of time; and   wherein the program instruction for providing the first user guidance comprises instructions for notifying the first user when the first user's behavior over the first period of time deviates from the first user's behavior over the longer period of time.   
   
   
       8 . A computer program product according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a program instruction for comparing the first user behavior model to a community behavior model representative of an aggregate community behavior for a plurality of users of the social service based at least in part upon an aggregation of the behavior of the plurality of users of the social service to determine whether the first user's behavior deviates from the community behavior; and   wherein the program instruction for providing the first user guidance comprises instructions for providing the first user guidance based at least in part upon the comparison between the first user's behavior and the community behavior.   
   
   
       9 . A computer program product according to  claim 6 , wherein the program instruction for providing the first user guidance comprises instructions for providing the first user guidance about an action in which the first user is engaging on the social service to enable the first user to maintain a consistent identity on the social service based at least in part upon the first user behavior model. 
   
   
       10 . A computer program product according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a program instruction for maintaining at least one of a second behavior model representative of a second user's behavior on the social service or a third behavior model representative of an aggregate community behavior for a plurality of users of the social service based at least in part upon an aggregation of the behavior of the plurality of users of the social service; and   a program instruction for providing the first user with advice on how to behave in a social interaction on the social service based at least in part upon at least one of the second behavior model or the third behavior model.   
   
   
       11 . An apparatus comprising a processor configured to:
 monitor a first user's behavior on a social service;   generate a first user behavior model representative of the first user's behavior on the social service based at least in part upon the first user's monitored behavior; and   provide the first user guidance about the first user's behavior based at least in part upon the first user behavior model.   
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to monitor a first user's behavior by monitoring at least one of content of a user profile for the first user on the social service, the first user's interaction with other users of the social service, content of messages exchanged between the first user and other users of the social service, content of postings made by the first user to a bulletin board on the social service, content of postings to a bulletin board on the social service read by the first user, content of data uploaded to the social service by the first user, content of data accessed by the first user while using the social service, or activities engaged in by the first user on the social service. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 compare behavior of the first user over a first period of time to the first user behavior model to determine whether the first user's behavior over the first period of time deviates from the first user's behavior over a longer period of time; and   wherein the processor is configured to provide the first user guidance by notifying the first user when the first user's behavior over the first period of time deviates from the first user's behavior over the longer period of time.   
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 compare the first user behavior model to a community behavior model representative of an aggregate community behavior for a plurality of users of the social service based at least in part upon an aggregation of the behavior of the plurality of users of the social service to determine whether the first user's behavior deviates from the community behavior; and   wherein the processor is configured to provide the first user guidance by providing the first user guidance based at least in part upon the comparison between the first user's behavior and the community behavior.   
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to provide the first user guidance by providing the first user guidance about how other users of the social service perceive the first user. 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to provide the first user guidance by providing the first user guidance about an action in which the first user is engaging on the social service to enable the first user to maintain a consistent identity on the social service based at least in part upon the first user behavior model. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to provide the first user guidance about the first user's behavior by providing the first user guidance when the first user's behavior risks disclosing an identity of the first user. 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 mine information provided to the social service by a second user of the social service to identify information provided about the first user;   determine whether any of the information provided about the first user is false based at least in part upon the first user behavior model; and   notify the first user of the presence of false information about the first user on the social service.   
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 maintain at least one of a second behavior model representative of a second user's behavior on the social service or a third behavior model representative of an aggregate community behavior for a plurality of users of the social service based at least in part upon an aggregation of the behavior of the plurality of users of the social service; and   provide the first user with advice on how to behave in a social interaction on the social service based at least in part upon at least one of the second behavior model or the third behavior model.   
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 monitor a second user's behavior on the social service;   generate a second user behavior model representative of the second user's behavior on the social service based at least in part upon the second user's monitored behavior;   generate a bot configured to simulate the second user based at least in part upon the second user behavior model; and   provide the first user a simulated interaction with the second user using the bot.   
   
   
       21 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the social service comprises a multi-player gaming service, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
 monitor a second user's behavior on the multi-player gaming service;   generate a second user behavior model representative of the second user's behavior on the multi-player gaming service based at least in part upon the second user's monitored behavior;   compare a recent action of the second user to the second user behavior model to determine a predicted future action of the second user; and   provide the first user with advice based at least in part upon the predicted future action of the second user.