Trust network effect

Abstract

An invention is disclosed for systems, methods, processes, and products of providing computing and online services. An embodiment of such a system, method, process, or product, among other things, may provide a more reliable, accurate, or otherwise effective way of determining and presenting relevant information to users, consumers, and the like.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 associating, by a computer system, a set of participants with a user, wherein the set of participants includes another user;   receiving, by the computer system, a request from the user, the request corresponding to a subject matter;   determining, by the computer system, a plurality of digital resources based on the request, wherein the plurality of digital resources correspond to the subject matter;   determining, by the computer system, that a relationship exists between a member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants; and   presenting, by the computer system, a set of digital resources to the user based on the relationship, wherein the set of digital resources comprises the member of the plurality of digital resources.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the relationship exists between the member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants comprises determining, by the computer system, that the relationship exists between the member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants, and determining, by the computer system, that a relationship does not exist between another member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants; and
 wherein the set of digital resources comprises an indication of the member of the plurality of digital resources and does not comprise an indication of the other member of the plurality of digital resources, the indication of the member of the plurality of digital resources including a uniform resource locator to the member of the plurality of digital resources.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accepting, by the computer system, the plurality of digital resources, wherein accepting the plurality of digital resources comprises receiving, by the computer system, the plurality of digital resources from a member of the set of participants or a third user; and   storing, by the computer system, the plurality of digital resources in a database.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the computer system, an indication of the set of participants from the user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the relationship between the member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants includes an activity performed by a member of the set of participants in relation to the member of the plurality of digital resources; and
 wherein presenting the set of digital resources to the user based on the relationship comprises presenting, by the computer system, an ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship, the ordered list of digital resources comprising the member of the plurality of digital resources.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining the plurality of digital resources based on the request comprises determining, by the computer system, another ordered list of digital resources based on the request, the other ordered list of digital resources comprising the member of the plurality of digital resources and another member of the plurality of digital resources; and
 wherein presenting the ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship comprises:   determining that the other member of the plurality of digital resources is not associated with the relationship;   generating the ordered list of digital resources, the ordered list of digital resources not having the other member of the plurality of digital resources; and   presenting the ordered list of digital resources to the user.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining the plurality of digital resources based on the request comprises determining, by the computer system, another ordered list of digital resources based on the request, the other ordered list of digital resources comprising the member of the plurality of digital resources and another member of the plurality of digital resources, and the other member of the plurality of digital resources having a higher order than the member of the plurality of digital resources;
 wherein presenting the ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship comprises:   determining that the other member of the plurality of digital resources is not associated with the relationship;   generating the ordered list of digital resources, the ordered list of digital resources having the other member of the plurality of digital resources at an order lower than the member of the plurality of digital resources; and   presenting the ordered list of digital resources to the user.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining that the relationship exists between the member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants comprises:
 determining, by the computer system, that a member of the set of participants submitted or is associated as a source or author to the member of the plurality of digital resources.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining that the relationship exists between the member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants comprises:
 determining, by the computer system, that a member of the set of participants created another digital resource, the other digital resource referring to or comprising the member of the plurality of digital resources, or a part thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining that the relationship exists between the member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants comprises:
 determining, by the computer system, that a member of the set of participants associated a favorable rating or a non-negative comment with the member of the plurality of digital resources.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining that the relationship exists between the member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants comprises:
 determining, by the computer system, that a number or a range of members of the set of participants are associated with the member of the plurality of digital resources, the number or the range being set by the computer system or the user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of digital resources are each associated with a location information; and
 wherein determining the ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship comprises determining, by the computer system, an ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship and the location information in relation to a location reference.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of digital resources are each associated with a time information; and
 wherein determining the ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship comprises determining, by the computer system, an ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship and the time information.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of digital resources are each associated with a price information; and
 wherein determining the ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship comprises determining, by the computer system, an ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship and the price information.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining the plurality of digital resources based on the request comprises determining, by the computer system, another ordered list of digital resources based on the request, the other ordered list of digital resources comprising the member of the plurality of digital resources and another member of the plurality of digital resources;
 wherein determining that the relationship exists between the member of the plurality of digital resources and the set of participants comprises determining, by the computer system, that a member of the set of participants associated a favorable rating with the member of the plurality of digital resources, and another member of the set of participants associated an unfavorable rating with the other member of the plurality of digital resources; and   wherein determining the ordered list of digital resources based on the relationship comprises:
 in response to determining that the other member of the set of participants associated the unfavorable rating with the other member of the plurality of digital resources, generating the ordered list of digital resources, the ordered list of digital resources not having the other member of the plurality of digital resources; and 
 presenting the ordered list of digital resources to the user. 
   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory communicatively coupled to the processor when the system is operational, the memory bearing processor-executable instructions that, when executed on the system, cause the system to at least:   receive an indication of a set of participants from a user;   associate the set of participants with the user;   receive a request from the user;   determine a set of digital resources based on the request;   determine that a relationship exists between the request and the set of participants;   determine another set of digital resources based on the relationship; and   present an indication of the set of digital resources and an indication of the other set of digital resources to the user.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer-readable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
 associating a set of participants with a user;   in relation to associating the set of participants with the user, associating a setting with the user;   receiving a request from the user;   in response to receiving the request, determining a first set of digital resources and a second set of digital resources based on the request;   in relation to determining that the setting is on, determining that the first set of digital resources is not associated with the set of participants; and   in relation to determining that the first set of digital resources is not associated with the set of participants, presenting a third set of digital resources to the user based on the second set of digital resources.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the first set of digital resources and the second set of digital resources comprise entries, each entry being associated with an entity, and a first attribute associated with the entity, and a second attribute associated with the entity, the entity including an offer from a particular seller for a retail item, the first attribute including a submission time, and the second attribute including a price; and
 wherein presenting the third set of digital resources to the user comprises:
 selecting for each entity in the second set of digital resources an entry, the entry whose first attribute is associated with a value deemed more relevant than values being associated with first attributes of other entries, the other entries being associated with the entity; 
 generating a list of digital resources based on the selected entries, the list of digital resources being sorted based on the second attribute; and 
 presenting the list of digital resources to the user. 
   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , further bearing computer-readable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a request to set the setting off; and   in relation to determining that the setting is off, presenting a fourth set of digital resources to the user based on the first set of digital resources and the second set of digital resources.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , further bearing computer-readable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
 receiving another request from the user, wherein the other request is semantically equivalent to the request; and   in response to receiving the other request, determining the first set of digital resources and the second set of digital resources based on the other request.