System and method for information delivery based on at least one self-declared user attribute with audit records

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing a user the ability to self-declare one or more permission attributes about the user that form the basis for the filtering (e.g., the dynamic filtering) of current and/or future content. In this manner, access to the content may thus be governed by the self-declared permission attributes (in one example (which example is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive), the present invention may operate within a secure, tracked content delivery infrastructure).

1 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method for tracking compliance to a company policy, the method comprising:
 providing a computer database in association with a computer server for storing a plurality of computer data content items, wherein each of the plurality of computer data content items is assigned a corresponding classification attribute that indicates a target audience by a first user through a first user computer in communication with the computer server via a network, and wherein at least a first classification attribute categorizes at least a first one of the plurality of computer data content items as belonging to a category that another user is restricted from viewing;   providing, by the first user of the first user computer, permission for a second user through a second user computer to request access to the plurality of computer data content items;   receiving, at the computer server, a request for access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items from the second user through the second user computer via the network, wherein the request for access comprises a permission attribute that identifies at least one category of data content items that the second user is not restricted from viewing, wherein the permission attribute is self-declared by the second user and restricts the second user's access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items if the permission attribute self-declared by the second user does not match the first classification attribute assigned by the first user;   granting access, by the computer server, to the second user to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items if the first classification attribute assigned by the first user matches the permission attribute self-declared by the second user;   storing at least one detail of access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items in an audit record, wherein the at least one detail comprises at least one of: an identification of the computer data content item, a time of access, the self-declared permission attribute at the time of access, the first classification attribute at the time of access, and an identification of the second user; and   providing the audit record to an authorized user as a report for tracking compliance to the company policy.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein at least one of the first classification attribute and the permission attribute is associated with a company name related to the content of the first one of the plurality of computer data content items. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein at least one of the first classification attribute and the permission attribute is associated with a named individual related to the content of the first one of the plurality of computer data content items. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein at least one of the first classification attribute and the permission attribute is at least one of public and private. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the permission attribute is used to filter the plurality of computer data content items within the computer database in order to determine additional ones of the plurality of computer data content items to which the second user is granted access. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the permission attribute of the second user is declared at the time of the requested access. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the permission attribute of the second user has been previously declared and stored in association with the computer database. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the computer database is a secure computer data storage facility. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the first one of the plurality of computer data content items is a computer-based document. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein each corresponding classification attribute is stored in the computer database. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the assignment of each classification attribute is made in metadata associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of computer data content items. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the first classification attribute further indicates at least one of a location of a document, a publication source, a comment, a reply, and an association with other users. 
     
     
         55 . A method for tracking compliance to a company policy, the method comprising:
 providing a computer database in association with a computer server for storing a plurality of computer data content items, wherein each of the plurality of computer data content items is assigned a corresponding classification attribute that indicates a target audience by a first user through a first user computer in communication with the computer server via a network, and wherein at least a first classification attribute categorizes at least a first one of the plurality of computer data content items as belonging to a category that another user is restricted from viewing;   providing, by the first user of the first user computer, permission for a second user through a second user computer to request access to the plurality of computer data content items;   receiving, at the computer server, a request for access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items from the second user through the second user computer via the network, wherein the request for access comprises a permission attribute that identifies at least one category of data content items that a second user is restricted from viewing, wherein the permission attribute is self-declared by the second user and restricts the second user's access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items if the permission attribute self-declared by the second user matches the classification attribute assigned by the first user;   granting access, by the computer server, to the second user to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items if the classification attribute assigned by the first user does not match the permission attribute self-declared by the second user;   storing at least one detail of access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items in an audit record, wherein the at least one detail comprises at least one of: an identification of the computer data content item, a time of access, the self-declared permission attribute at the time of access, the classification attribute at the time of access, and an identification of the second user; and   providing the audit record to an authorized user as a report for tracking compliance to the company policy.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein at least one of the first classification attribute and the permission attribute is associated with at least one of a company name and an individual name related to the content of the first one of the plurality of computer data content items. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the permission attribute is used to filter the plurality of computer data content items within the computer database in order to determine additional ones of the plurality of computer data content items to which the second user is granted access. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the assignment of the classification attribute is made in metadata associated with the first one of the plurality of computer data content items. 
     
     
         59 . A method for tracking compliance to a company policy, the method comprising:
 providing a computer database in association with a computer server for storing a plurality of computer data content items, wherein each of the plurality of computer data content items is assigned a corresponding classification attribute that indicates a target audience by a first user through a first user computer in communication with the computer server via a network, and wherein at least a first classification attribute categorizes at least a first one of the plurality of computer data content items as belonging to a category that another user is restricted from viewing;   providing, by the first user of the first user computer, permission for a second user through a second user computer to request access to the plurality of computer data content items;   receiving, at the computer server, a request for access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items from the second user through the second user computer via the network, wherein the request for access comprises a permission attribute that identifies at least one category of data content items that a second user is not restricted from viewing, wherein the permission attribute is self-declared by the second user and restricts the second user's access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items if the permission attribute self-declared by the second user does not match the classification attribute assigned by the first user;   providing a hyperlink to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items by the server-based content access management facility if the first classification attribute assigned by the first user matches the permission attribute self-declared by the second user; and   storing at least one detail of access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items in an audit record, wherein the at least one detail comprises at least one of: an identification of the computer data content item, a time of access, the self-declared permission attribute at the time of access, the classification attribute at the time of access, and an identification of the second user; and   providing the audit record to an authorized user as a report for tracking compliance to the company policy.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein at least one of the first classification attribute and the permission attribute is associated with at least one of a company name and an individual name related to the content of the first one of the plurality of computer data content items. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the permission attribute is used to filter the plurality of computer data content items within the computer database in order to determine additional ones of the plurality of computer data content items to which the second user is granted access. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the assignment of each classification attribute is made in metadata associated with a corresponding one of each of the plurality of computer data content items. 
     
     
         63 . A method for tracking compliance to a policy, the method comprising:
 providing a computer database in association with a computer server for storing a plurality of computer data content items, wherein each of the plurality of computer data content items is assigned a corresponding classification attribute that indicates a target audience by a first user through a first user computer in communication with the computer server via a network, and wherein at least a first classification attribute categorizes at least a first one of the plurality of computer data content items as belonging to a category that another user is conflicted from viewing;   providing, by the first user of the first user computer, permission for a second user through a second user computer to request access to the plurality of computer data content items;   receiving, at the computer server, a request for access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items from the second user through the second user computer via the network, wherein the request for access comprises a permission attribute that identifies at least one category of data content items that a second user is not conflicted from viewing, wherein the permission attribute is self-declared by the second user and restricts the second user's access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items if the permission attribute self-declared by the second user does not match the first classification attribute assigned by the first user, and wherein the permission attribute reflects a policy associated with the second user;   granting access, by the computer server, to the second user to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items if the first classification attribute assigned by the first user matches the permission attribute self-declared by the second user;   storing at least one detail of access to the first one of the plurality of computer data content items in an audit record, wherein the at least one detail comprises at least one of: an identification of the computer data content item, a time of access, the self-declared permission attribute at the time of access, the first classification attribute at the time of access, and an identification of the second user; and   providing the audit record to an authorized user as a report for tracking compliance to the policy.