Tracing messages within a message chain

Abstract

Methods and systems for tracing forwards of an electronic message. One method includes storing, for each of a plurality of forwarded messages sent via an electronic messaging application, a record in a data store, each record including a link to an original message for the forwarded message and calculating, with an electronic processor, a statistic for an electronic message based on records stored in the data store, wherein the statistic includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a number of forwards of the electronic message, a number of recipients of the electronic message including all forwards of the electronic message, and a number of requests to revoke the electronic message. The statistic is then output for display to a user via at least one user interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of tracing forwards of an electronic message, the method comprising:
 storing, for each of a plurality of forwarded messages sent via an electronic messaging application, a record in a data store, each record including a link to an original message for the forwarded message;   calculating, with an electronic processor, a statistic for an electronic message based on records stored in the data store, wherein the statistic includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a number of forwards of the electronic message, a number of recipients of the electronic message including all forwards of the electronic message, and a number of requests to revoke the electronic message; and   outputting the statistic for display to a user via at least one user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages, the record in the data store includes storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages a record including unique identifying information for the forwarded message and unique identifying information for the original message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages, the record in the data store includes storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages a record including unique identifying information for the forwarded message and unique identifying information for a previous message of the forwarded message. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 storing a record for the original message for the forwarded message in the data store, the record for the original message including a counter of at least a number of forwards of the original message; and   updating the counter in response to each forward of the original message,   wherein calculating the statistic for the electronic message based on records stored in the data store includes accessing the counter.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the statistic for the electronic message includes tracing a path of the original message via the records stored in the data store and calculating the statistic based on records representing the path of the original message. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein outputting the statistic for display to the user via the at least one user interface includes marking the electronic message within the least at least one user based on the statistic to distinguish the electronic message from other messages associated with different values of the statistic. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein outputting the statistic for display to the user via the at least one user interface includes generating a notification and transmitting the notification, the notification is automatically generated and transmitted in response to the statistic satisfying a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the statistic further includes a number of requests to revoke the electronic message associated with a particular reason to revoke the electronic message. 
     
     
         9 . A system for tracing forwards of an electronic message, the system comprising an electronic processor configured to
 store, for each of a plurality of forwarded messages sent via an electronic messaging application, a record in a data store, each record including a link to an original message for the forwarded message;   calculate a statistic for an electronic message based on records stored in the data store, wherein the statistic includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a number of forwards of the electronic message, a number of recipients of the electronic message including all forwards of the electronic message, and a number of requests to revoke the electronic message; and   output the statistic for display to a user via at least one user interface.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages, the record in the data store includes storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages a record including unique identifying information for the forwarded message and unique identifying information for the original message. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages, the record in the data store includes storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages a record including unique identifying information for the forwarded message and unique identifying information for a previous message of the forwarded message. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , the electronic processor further configured to
 store a record for the original message for the forwarded message in the data store, the record for the original message including a counter of at least a number of forwards of the original message; and   update the counter in response to each forward of the original message,   wherein calculating the statistic for the electronic message based on records stored in the data store includes accessing the counter.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein calculating the statistic for the electronic message includes tracing a path of the original message via the records stored in the data store and calculating the statistic based on records representing the path of the original message. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein outputting the statistic for display to the user via the at least one user interface includes marking the electronic message within the least at least one user based on the statistic to distinguish the electronic message from other messages associated with different values of the statistic. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein outputting the statistic for display to the user via the at least one user interface includes generating a notification and transmitting the notification, the notification is automatically generated and transmitted in response to the statistic satisfying a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by an electronic processor, perform a set of functions, the set of functions configured to:
 store, for each of a plurality of forwarded messages sent via an electronic messaging application, a record in a data store, each record including a link to an original message for the forwarded message;   calculate a statistic for an electronic message based on records stored in the data store, wherein the statistic includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a number of forwards of the electronic message, a number of recipients of the electronic message including all forwards of the electronic message, and a number of requests to revoke the electronic message; and   output the statistic for display to a user via at least one user interface.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions of  claim 16 , wherein the statistic further includes a number of requests to revoke the electronic message associated with a particular reason. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions of  claim 16 , wherein storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages, the record in the data store includes storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages a record including unique identifying information for the forwarded message and unique identifying information for the original message. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions of  claim 16 , wherein storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages, the record in the data store includes storing, for each of the plurality of forwarded messages a record including unique identifying information for the forwarded message and unique identifying information for a previous message of the forwarded message. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions of  claim 16 , the set of functions further configured to
 store a record for the original message for the forwarded message in the data store, the record for the original message including a counter of at least a number of forwards of the original message; and   update the counter in response to each forward of the original message,   wherein calculating the statistic for the electronic message based on records stored in the data store includes accessing the counter.