Community-based parental controls

Abstract

According to a general aspect, a method includes maintaining rating groups, each rating group providing a rating for content compiled based on information received from a user evaluating the content. The method also includes receiving, from a first user, a selection of a first rating group, from among the rating groups, to be applied to a set of users associated with the first user. The method also includes receiving, from a user, a request for a piece of content from the content. The method also includes determining that the user from which the request was received belongs to the set of users associated with the first user. The method also includes, based upon the determination that the user belonged to the set of users associated with the first user, accessing information associated with the first rating group and determining whether the first rating group includes a rating for the requested piece of content. The method also includes determining whether or not to provide information to the requesting user conditioned on the indication or absence of a rating for the requested piece of content within the first rating group.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 maintaining rating groups, each rating group providing ratings that relate to at least one of the multiple pieces of content and that are compiled based on information received from multiple users evaluating the at least one of the multiple pieces of content;   receiving, from a first user, a selection of a first rating group, from among the rating groups, to be applied to a set of users associated with the first user;   receiving a request for a piece of content from a user;   determining whether the user from which the request was received belongs to the set of users associated with the first user;   in response to a determination that the user belongs to the set of users associated with the first user, accessing information associated with the first rating group and determining whether the first rating group includes a rating for the requested piece of content; and   determining whether or not to provide information to the requesting user conditioned on the indication or absence of a rating for the requested piece of content within the first rating group.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving, from the first user, a selection of a second rating group, from among the rating groups, to be applied to the set of users associated with the first user in the event that the first rating group is determined to not include a rating for the requested piece of content; 
 determining whether the first rating group includes a rating for the requested piece of content; 
 based upon a determination that the first rating group does not include a rating for the requested piece of content, accessing, from the first rating group, a rating to be applied to the requested piece of content; and 
 providing information, to the user belonging to the set of users associated with the first user, based on the rating accessed from the second rating group. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein an automated electronic system performs the maintaining of the plurality of rating groups, receiving of the selection, receiving of the request, accessing of the rating, and providing of the information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising receiving, at the systeni, the information submitted from the multiple users to evaluate the at least one of the multiple pieces of content. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each rating comprises a weighted rating compiled based on weighting the information submitted for a given piece of content. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a request to form a new rating group for providing ratings for pieces of content, each rating relating to at least one of the pieces of content and being compiled based on information received from multiple users evaluating the at least one of the pieces of content; 
 receiving an identification of required characteristics of potential members of the new rating group; 
 forming the new rating group based on the request; 
 adding the new rating group to the rating groups; 
 receiving a request from a second user to be a member of the new rating group; 
 verifying that the second user satisfies the required characteristics; and 
 adding the second user to the new rating group based on verification that the second user satisfies the required characteristics. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 receiving a rating for a particular piece of content from the second user; 
 associating the received rating for the particular piece of content with the new rating group; and 
 updating at least one compiled rating of the new rating group to reflect the rating received from the second user. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 receiving a rating for the particular piece of content from a third user; 
 associating the rating received from the third user with the new rating group; and 
 updating at least one compiled rating of the new rating group to reflect the rating received from the third user. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein updating the at least one compiled rating to reflect the rating received from the third user comprises weighting the rating received from the third user differently than the rating received from the second user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a request to form a new rating group for providing ratings for several pieces of content, each rating relating to at least one of the several pieces of content and being compiled based on information received from multiple users evaluating the at least one of the several of pieces of content; 
 receiving names of users to be added to the new rating group; 
 forming the new rating group based on the request to form the new rating group and associating the names of the users with the new rating group; 
 adding the new rating group to the rating groups; and 
 adding the named users to the new rating group. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 receiving a rating for a particular piece of content from a second user; 
 verifying that the second user is among the users associated with the new rating group; 
 associating, based on verifying that the second user is among the users associated with the new rating group, the received rating for the particular piece of content with the new rating group; and 
 updating, based on verifying that the second user is among the users associated with the new rating group, at least one compiled rating of the new rating group to reflect the rating received from the second user. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining whether to grant access to the requested piece of content based on the accessed rating. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising determining to block at least a portion of the requested piece of content based on the accessed rating. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing information to the user that is indicative of the accessed rating includes providing the accessed rating. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing information to the user that is indicative of the accessed rating includes providing the requested piece of content. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing information to the user that is indicative of the accessed rating includes providing an indication to the user that the requested content is blocked. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 maintaining a rating group that includes ratings for multiple pieces of content, each of the ratings being a compiled score based on submitted ratings from multiple users;   receiving a request for a piece of content from a user;   accessing a rating for the requested piece of content from the rating group; and   determining whether to grant access to the requested piece of content based on the accessed rating.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising blocking at least a portion of the requested piece of content based on the accessed rating. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 maintaining, in an online rating system, rating groups that each provide ratings for multiple pieces of content, each of the ratings relating to at least one of the multiple pieces of content and being compiled based on ratings submitted from multiple users, the submitted ratings evaluating the at least one of the multiple pieces of content;   receiving, in the online rating system, an electronic request from a user of the online rating system to form a new rating group for providing ratings for several pieces of content, each rating relating to at least one of the pieces of content and being a compiled rating based on ratings submitted from multiple users, the submitted ratings evaluating the at least one of the pieces of content;   receiving an identification of required characteristics of potential members of the new rating group;   forming the new rating group based on receiving the request group;   adding the new rating group to the rating groups;   receiving a request from a second user to be a member of the new rating group;   verifying that the second user satisfies the required characteristics; and   adding the second user to the new rating group based on verification that the second user satisfies the required characteristics.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein receiving the request to form the new rating group comprises receiving a request to form a new rating group in which all members of the new rating group are permitted to submit ratings for each of the pieces of content for which the new rating group provides ratings.