Recording and indicating preferences

Abstract

Recording a first user's preference for a content contribution submitted by a second user is disclosed. In response to only a single action taken by the first user interacting with a web page, an indication is received that a preference event occurred. The preference event is associated with the content contribution. Information associated with the first user's profile is updated. At least a portion of the web page is continued to be displayed to the user after receiving the preference event.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of applying preference events at a preference system, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a first user via a first interface, a first preference event regarding a first content item;   when the first preference event is a positive preference event, updating in real-time a second interface presented to a second user who is a friend of the first user, by incrementing a counter of positive preference events received for the first content item; and   when the first preference event is a negative preference event, updating in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by one or more of:
 removing an indication of a previous positive preference event submitted by the first user regarding the first content item; and 
 hiding the first content item if a predetermined number of negative preference events have been received for the first content item. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, when the first preference event is a comment, updating in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by:
 displaying an indication of the comment; and   distinguishing the comment when presented to the second user.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising if the first preference event is a contribution of the first content item, updating in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by:
 displaying an indication of the first content item; and   distinguishing the first content item when presented to the second user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when the first preference event is a positive preference event, updating in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by reclassifying the first content item as a promoted content item if a threshold number of positive preference events have been received for the first content item.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein reclassifying the first content item comprises:
 moving the first content item from a portion of the second interface comprising content items that have not yet been promoted to a portion of the second interface comprising content items that have been promoted.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in the second interface, presenting the second user with a summary of preference events received from friends of the second user, including preference events received from the first user.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein hiding the first content item comprises displaying only a header of the first content item and not a body of the first content item. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, for each preference event received from the first user, including the first preference event:
 storing the preference event in a first data table configured to store only preference events of a single type; and   storing the preference event in a common data table configured to store all types of preference events.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first content item is a preference event. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first interface is configured to enable the first user to submit any of multiple types of preference events with a single action, the multiple types consisting of:
 positive preference events;   negative preference events;   comments; and   content item contributions.   
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors;   a receiving module comprising a first non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to receive, from a first user via a first interface, a first preference event regarding a first content item;   a positive preference event module comprising a second non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to, when the first preference event is a positive preference event, update in real-time a second interface presented to a second user who is a friend of the first user, by incrementing a counter of positive preference events received for the first content item; and   a negative preference event module comprising a third non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to, when the first preference event is a negative preference event, update in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by one or more of:
 removing an indication of a previous positive preference event submitted by the first user regarding the first content item; and 
 hiding the second content item if a predetermined number of negative preference events have been received for the first content item. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a comment preference event module comprising a fourth non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to, when the first preference event is a comment, update in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by:
 displaying an indication of the comment; and 
 distinguishing the comment when presented to the second user; and 
   a contribution preference event module comprising a fifth non-transitory computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to, when the first preference event is a contribution of the first content item, update in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by:
 displaying an indication of the first content item; and 
 distinguishing the first content item when presented to the second user. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second non-transitory computer readable medium further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to update in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by:
 reclassifying the first content item as a promoted content item if a threshold number of positive preference events have been received for the first content item, by moving the first content item from a portion of the second interface comprising content items that have not yet been promoted to a portion of the second interface comprising content items that have been promoted.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first interface is configured to enable the first user to submit any of multiple types of preference events with a single action, the multiple types consisting of:
 positive preference events;   negative preference events;   comments; and   content item contributions.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
 receive, from a first user via a first interface, a first preference event regarding a first content item; 
 when the first preference event is a positive preference event, update in real-time a second interface presented to a second user who is a friend of the first user, by incrementing a counter of positive preference events received for the first content item; and 
 when the first preference event is a negative preference event, update in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by one or more of:
 removing an indication of a previous positive preference event submitted by the first user regarding the first content item; and 
 hiding the second content item if a predetermined number of negative preference events have been received for the first content item. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
 when the first preference event is a comment, update in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by:
 displaying an indication of the comment; and 
 distinguishing the comment when presented to the second user; and 
   when the first preference event is a contribution of the first content item, update in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by:
 displaying an indication of the first content item; and 
 distinguishing the first content item when presented to the second user. 
   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
 when the first preference event is a positive preference event, update in real-time the second interface presented to the second user by reclassifying the first content item as a promoted content item if a threshold number of positive preference events have been received for the first content item.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein hiding the first content item comprises displaying only a header of the first content item and not a body of the first content item. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first content item is a preference event. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first interface is configured to enable the first user to submit any of multiple types of preference events with a single action, the multiple types consisting of:
 positive preference events;   negative preference events;   comments; and   content item contributions.