User Validation In A Social Network

Abstract

A computer implemented method and system is provided for validating a user associated with one or more social networks. A validation platform associated with the social networks is provided. The validation platform identifies a user for the validation from the social networks. The validation platform retrieves social information of the identified user from the social networks. The social information comprises relationship information of and between the identified user and social contacts of the identified user on the social networks. The validation platform acquires feedback on the identified user from one or more of the social contacts. The validation platform generates one or more validation scores, for example, an evaluation score, a feedback authentication score, a user authentication score, a composite score, etc., for the identified user based on the retrieved social information and/or the acquired feedback. The generated validation scores enable validation of the user associated with the social networks.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for generating a score for validating a user associated with one or more business-oriented networks, comprising:
 providing, by a processor, a validation platform associated with said one or more business-oriented networks, wherein said validation platform is implemented on a computer system comprising one or more processors;   identifying said user for said validation from said one or more business-oriented networks based on a query and search criteria provided by a requesting party, by a user identification module within said validation platform;   retrieving information of said identified user from said one or more business-oriented networks, by an information retrieval module within said validation platform;   acquiring feedback on said identified user, by a feedback acquisition module within said validation platform;   generating said score for said identified user, by a score generation module within said validation platform, wherein said generating said score comprises:
 generating one or more of an evaluation score, a feedback authentication score, and an user authentication score, based on one or more of said retrieved information and said acquired feedback; and 
 generating a composite score, wherein said composite score is a weighted sum of said evaluation score, said feedback authentication score, and said user authentication score; 
   determining whether said generated score satisfies said search criteria, by a query processing module within said validation platform.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said information comprises relationship information of and between said identified user and one or more contacts of said identified user, wherein said contacts are associated with said one or more business-oriented networks. 
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said generation of said evaluation score, said feedback authentication score, and said user authentication score by said score generation module further comprises one or more of:
 generating said evaluation score for said identified user based on said acquired feedback, by said score generation module, wherein said evaluation score quantifies said acquired feedback;   generating said feedback authentication score for said acquired feedback, by said score generation module, wherein said feedback authentication score quantifies authenticity of said acquired feedback; and   generating said user authentication score for said identified user, by said score generation module, wherein said user authentication score quantifies authenticity of said identified user.   
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said query processing module further performs:
 receiving said query and said search criteria from said requesting party for validating said user, wherein said query comprises a request for said score of said user; and   transmitting a response to said query to said requesting party, after confirming that said generated score satisfies said search criteria.   
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein said search criteria comprises a threshold validation score for said user, wherein said threshold validation score represents a minimum score acceptable to said requesting party, and wherein said search criteria further comprises differential weights for one or more of said evaluation score, said feedback authentication score, and said user authentication score combinable for generating said composite score. 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , further comprising generating a list of users associated with said one or more business-oriented networks who satisfy said search criteria of said requesting party, by said validation platform. 
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving differential weights from said user, said one or more contacts, and a requesting party, by said validation platform for said generation of said score. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said validation platform selectively maintains anonymity of said acquired feedback from said one or more contacts. 
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said retrieval of said information of said identified user comprises querying and compiling said information of said identified user from a plurality of said business-oriented networks, by said validation platform, wherein said validation platform generates said score for each of said business-oriented networks. 
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating an aggregated network profile for said identified user by aggregating said information of said identified user from a plurality of network profiles of said identified user across a plurality of said business-oriented networks. 
     
     
         11 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising aggregating said score generated for each of a plurality of said business-oriented networks of said identified user, for generating one or more aggregate scores for said identified user. 
     
     
         12 . A computer implemented system for generating a score for validating a user associated with one or more business-oriented networks, comprising:
 a validation platform provided by a processor, wherein said validation platform is associated with said one or more business-oriented networks, wherein said validation platform is implemented on a computer system comprising one or more processors, and wherein said validation platform comprises:
 a user identification module that identifies said user for said validation from said one or more business-oriented networks, based on a search criteria provided by a requesting party; 
 an information retrieval module that retrieves information of said identified user from said one or more business-oriented networks; 
 a feedback acquisition module that acquires feedback on said identified user from said one or more contacts of said identified user; 
 a score generation module that generates said score for said identified user, wherein said generating said score comprises: 
 said score generation module generating one or more of an evaluation score, a feedback authentication score, and a user authentication score, based on one or more of said retrieved information and said acquired feedback; and 
 said score generation module further generating a composite score as a weighted sum of said evaluation score, said feedback authentication score, and said user authentication score; 
   a query processing module that determines whether said generated score satisfies said search criteria.   
     
     
         13 . The computer implemented system of  claim 12 , wherein said information retrieved by said information retrieval module comprises relationship information of and between said identified user and one or more contacts of said identified user, wherein said contacts are associated with said one or more business-oriented networks. 
     
     
         14 . The computer implemented system of  claim 12 , wherein said generation of said evaluation score, said feedback authentication score, and said user authentication score by said score generation module further comprises one or more of:
 generating said evaluation score for said identified user based on said acquired feedback, wherein said evaluation score quantifies said acquired feedback;   generating said feedback authentication score for said acquired feedback, wherein said feedback authentication score quantifies authenticity of said acquired feedback; and   generating said user authentication score for said identified user, wherein said user authentication score quantifies authenticity of said identified user.   
     
     
         15 . The computer implemented system of  claim 12 , wherein said query processing module further performs:
 receiving said query and said search criteria from said requesting party for validating said user, wherein said query comprises a request for said score of said user; and   transmitting a response to said query to said requesting party, after confirming that said generated score satisfies said search criteria.   
     
     
         16 . The computer implemented system of  claim 15 , wherein said search criteria comprises a threshold validation score for said user, wherein said threshold validation score represents a minimum score acceptable to said requesting party, and wherein said search criteria further comprises differential weights for one or more of said evaluation score, said feedback authentication score, and said user authentication score combinable for generating said composite score. 
     
     
         17 . The computer implemented system of  claim 15 , wherein said query processing module generates a list of users associated with said one or more business-oriented networks who satisfy said search criteria of said requesting party. 
     
     
         18 . The computer implemented system of  claim 12 , wherein said validation platform further comprises:
 said information retrieval module retrieving said information of said identified user by querying and compiling said information of said identified user from a plurality of said business-oriented networks, wherein said score generation module generates said score for each of said business-oriented networks;   said feedback acquisition module selectively maintaining anonymity of said acquired feedback from said one or more contacts;   said score generation module receiving differential weights from said user, said one or more contacts, and a requesting party, for said generation of said score;   an aggregation module that aggregates said information of said identified user from a plurality of network profiles of said identified user across a plurality of said business-oriented networks; and   a profile generation module that generates an aggregated network profile for said identified user based on said aggregated information.   
     
     
         19 . The computer implemented system of  claim 12 , wherein said validation platform further comprises an aggregate score generation module that generates one or more aggregate scores for said identified user by aggregating said scores generated for each of a plurality of said business-oriented networks of said identified user. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more processors perform operations, comprising:
 identifying a user for validation from one or more business-oriented networks, based on a query and search criteria received from a requesting party;   retrieving information of said identified user from said one or more business-oriented networks;   acquiring feedback on said identified user from one or more contacts;   generating one or more of an evaluation score, a feedback authentication score, and an user authentication score, based on one or more of said retrieved information and said acquired feedback;   generating a composite score for said identified user, wherein said composite score is a weighted sum of said evaluation score, said feedback authentication score, and said user authentication score;   determining whether said generated score satisfies said search criteria; and   transmitting a response to said query to said requesting party, after confirming that said generated score satisfies said search criteria.