Interactions among online digital identities

Abstract

A computer-implemented method is provided, which includes constructing, by a computer system, first and second user profiles for respective first and second users, by observing respective online behaviors of the first and second users, respectively. The computer system identifies that the first and second users have similar interests. Responsively to the identifying, the computer system transfers information to the first user profile from the second user profile, thereby modifying the first user profile. Content is presented to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 constructing, by a computer system, first and second user profiles for respective first and second users, by observing respective online behaviors of the first and second users, respectively;   identifying, by the computer system, that the first and second users have similar interests;   responsively to the identifying, modifying, by the computer system, the first user profile by transferring information from the second user profile to the first user profile; and   presenting content to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile.   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , further comprising:
 responsively to the identifying, modifying, by the computer system, the second user profile by transferring information from the first user profile to the second user profile; and   presenting content to the second user responsively to the modified second user profile.   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein identifying that the first and second users have the similar interests comprises identifying one or more topics and the respective strengths of interest of the first and second users in the topics. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein modifying the first user profile comprises defining a sphere of influence for the second user, and modifying the first user profile by transferring the information from the second user profile to the first user profile only upon finding that the first user falls within the sphere of influence of the second user. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein presenting the content comprises presenting search results to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile and to a search query received from the first user. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein presenting the content comprises presenting an online advertisement to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein presenting the content to the first user comprises presenting the content to a portable wireless device used by the first user. 
     
     
         39 . Apparatus comprising:
 an interface; and   a processor, configured to construct first and second user profiles for respective first and second users, by observing, via the interface, respective online behaviors of the first and second users; to identify that the first and second users have similar interests; responsively to the identifying, to modify the first user profile by transferring information from the second user profile to the first user profile; and to present, via the interface, content to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the processor is further configured to, responsively to identifying that the first and second users have similar interests, modify the second user profile by transferring information from the first user profile to the second user profile; and to present content to the second user responsively to the modified second user profile. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the processor is configured to identify that the first and second users have the similar interests by identifying one or more topics and the respective strengths of interest of the first and second users in the topics. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the processor is configured to define a sphere of influence for the second user, and to modify the first user profile by transferring the information from the second user profile to the first user profile only upon finding that the first user falls within the sphere of influence of the second user. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the content includes search results, and wherein the processor is configured to present the search results to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile and to a search query received from the first user. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the content includes an online advertisement, and wherein the processor is configured to present the online advertisement to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the processor is configured to present the content to a portable wireless device used by the first user. 
     
     
         46 . A computer software product, comprising a tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to construct first and second user profiles for respective first and second users, by observing respective online behaviors of the first and second users; to identify that the first and second users have similar interests; responsively to the identifying, to modify the first user profile by transferring information from the second user profile to the first user profile; and to present content to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile. 
     
     
         47 . The product according to  claim 46 , wherein the instructions cause the computer to, responsively to identifying that the first and second users have similar interests, modify the second user profile by transferring information from the first user profile to the second user profile; and to present content to the second user responsively to the modified second user profile. 
     
     
         48 . The product according to  claim 46 , wherein the instructions cause the computer to identify that the first and second users have the similar interests by identifying one or more topics and the respective strengths of interest of the first and second users in the topics. 
     
     
         49 . The product according to  claim 46 , wherein the instructions cause the computer to define a sphere of influence for the second user, and to modify the first user profile by transferring the information from the second user profile to the first user profile only upon finding that the first user falls within the sphere of influence of the second user 
     
     
         50 . The product according to  claim 46 , wherein the content includes search results, and wherein the instructions cause the computer to present the search results to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile and to a search query received from the first user. 
     
     
         51 . The product according to  claim 46 , wherein the content includes an online advertisement, and wherein the instructions cause the computer to present the online advertisement to the first user responsively to the modified first user profile. 
     
     
         52 . The product according to  claim 46 , wherein the instructions cause the computer to present the content to a portable wireless device used by the first user.