Determining reputations of users based on endorsements

Abstract

A method and system for evaluating the reputation of a member of a social networking system is disclosed. Consistent with an embodiment of the invention, one or more attributes associated with a social networking profile of a member of a social network are analyzed. Based on the analysis, a ranking, rating or score is assigned to a particular category of reputation. When requested, the ranking, rating or score is displayed to a user of the social network.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 storing a set of endorsements for a target member of a social networking system, the set of endorsements representing a set of positive opinions of a set of additional members of the social networking system with respect to a set of qualifications of the target member, the set of qualifications of the target member corresponding to a set of profile elements;   computing a set of profile element endorsement counts, each of the set of profile element endorsement counts being a count of the set of endorsements that are associated with a profile element of the set of profile elements, the computing of the set of profile endorsement counts being performed by one or more computer processors; and   generating a an endorsement interface that includes a depiction of a correspondence between the set of profile endorsement counts and the set of profile elements.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface includes an endorsement reputation indicator that represents an aggregated reputation score of the member with respect to the set of qualifications. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising computing a network measure of influence for the member, and wherein the endorsement interface further includes a depiction of the network measure of influence. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes a list of endorsers corresponding to each of the set of profile endorsement counts that are associated with each profile element of the set of profile elements. 
     
     
         5 . A system comprising:
 one or more modules implemented by one or more computer processors, the one or more modules configured to:   store a set of endorsements for a target member of a social networking system, the set of endorsements representing a set of positive opinions of a set of additional members of the social networking system with respect to a set of qualifications of the target member, the set of qualifications of the target member corresponding to a set of profile elements;   compute a set of profile element endorsement counts, each of the set of profile element endorsement counts being a count of the set of endorsements that are associated with a profile element of the set of profile elements; and   generate a an endorsement interface that includes a depiction of a correspondence between the set of profile endorsement counts and the set of profile elements.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the endorsement interface includes an endorsement reputation indicator that represents an aggregated reputation score of the member with respect to the set of qualifications. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , the one or more modules further configured to compute a network measure of influence for the member, and wherein the endorsement interface further includes a depiction of the network measure of influence. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes a list of endorsers corresponding to each of the set of profile endorsement counts that are associated with each profile element of the set of profile elements. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for storing a set of endorsements for a target member of a social networking system, the set of endorsements representing a set of positive opinions of a set of additional members of the social networking system with respect to a set of qualifications of the target member, the set of qualifications of the target member corresponding to a set of profile elements;   means for computing a set of profile element endorsement counts, each of the set of profile element endorsement counts being a count of the set of endorsements that are associated with a profile element of the set of profile elements; and   means for generating an endorsement interface that includes a depiction of a correspondence between the set of profile endorsement counts and the set of profile elements.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the endorsement interface includes an endorsement reputation indicator that represents an aggregated reputation score of the member with respect to the set of qualifications. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising means for computing a network measure of influence for the member, and wherein the endorsement interface further includes a depiction of the network measure of influence. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes a list of endorsers corresponding to each of the set of profile endorsement counts that are associated with each profile element of the set of profile elements. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes indications of strengths of each of the set of endorsements. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes indications of relationships between each of the set of additional members and the target member. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes indications of relationships between each of the set of additional members and a searcher to whom the endorsement interface is to be presented. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes indications of reliabilities of each of the set of endorsements. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes indications of relevancies between each of the set of endorsements and a purpose of a searcher to whom the endorsement interface is to be presented. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface further includes indications of degrees of connections between each of the set of additional members and a searcher to whom the endorsement interface is to be presented. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface includes indications of whether the set of additional members are independent from one another. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the endorsement interface includes indications of degrees of independence between each of the set of additional members and the target member.