Linked user accounts

Abstract

Separate user accounts can be linked into a group of linked user accounts so that content items assigned to each of the user accounts can be accessed by each user account in the group. Linking user accounts in this way allows the individual user accounts to share content items while also retaining their individual properties such as username, password, preference data, etc. Linking user accounts allows each user account to retain the content items assigned to the user account when the user account is unlinked from the group. Linking user accounts can be restricted according to linking rules that dictate how many user accounts can be included in a group, when a user account can be added or removed from a group, etc. A master user account can set parameters restricting content items accessible to the user accounts in the group, as well as money spent be each user account.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method performed by one or more computing devices comprising:
 joining a user account with a family of joined user accounts, wherein the family of joined user accounts is permitted to download a content item available for purchase through a media store; and   after the user account is joined to the family of joined user accounts, providing access to the content item by the user account in addition to providing access to each user account included in the family of joined user accounts, wherein providing the access to the content item includes streaming or downloading the content item.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 after joining the user account with the family, assigning, to the user account, a content item purchased using the user account, the content item was not available to the family prior to the purchase, wherein the content item can be accessed by the family of joined user accounts at least because the content item that was purchased, using the user account, is assigned to the user account.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 adding to the family of joined user accounts, a content item purchased using a second user account of the family of joined user accounts, wherein the family of joined user accounts can access the content item purchased using the second account of the family of joined user accounts.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 unjoining the user account from the family of joined user accounts;   joining, the user account with a second family of joined user accounts, wherein the second family of joined user accounts is permitted to download a second content item available for purchase through a media store.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the user account cannot be joined to any user account that is not included in the family of joined user accounts. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 unjoining the user account from the family of joined user accounts, wherein, in response to unjoining the user account from the family of joined user accounts:   content items assigned to the user account remain assigned to the user account, and   the user account cannot access content items assigned to a second user account of the family of joined user accounts that are not independently assigned to the user account.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 receiving a request to add another user account to the family of joined user accounts;   determining whether a total number of user accounts included in the family of joined user accounts is equal to a predetermined limit;   in response to the number of user accounts included in the family of joined user accounts being equal to the predetermined limit, denying the request to add the another user account to the family of joined user accounts.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the user account is designated as a manager account, thereby enabling the user account to add or remove user accounts from the family of joined user accounts. 
     
     
         34 . A system comprising:
 at least one computing device; and   at least one memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one computing device to:
 join a user account with a family of joined user accounts, wherein the family of joined user accounts is permitted to download a content item available for purchase through a media store; and 
 after the user account is joined to the family of joined user accounts, provide access to the content item by the user account in addition to providing access to each user account included in the family of joined user accounts, wherein providing the access to the content item includes streaming or downloading the content item. 
   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one computing device is further caused to:
 after the user account is joined with the family, assign, to the user account, a content item purchased using the user account, the content item was not available to the family prior to the purchase, wherein the content item can be accessed by the family of joined user accounts at least because the content item that was purchased, using the user account, is assigned to the user account.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one computing device is further caused to:
 add to the family of joined user accounts, a content item purchased using a second user account of the family of joined user accounts, wherein the family of joined user accounts can access the content item purchased using the second account of the family of joined user accounts.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one computing device is further caused to:
 unjoin the user account from the family of joined user accounts;   join the user account with a second family of joined user accounts, wherein the second family of joined user accounts is permitted to download a second content item available for purchase through a media store.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the user account cannot be joined to any user account that is not included in the family of joined user accounts. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one computing device is further caused to:
 unjoin the user account from the family of joined user accounts, wherein, in response to unjoining the user account from the family of joined user accounts:
 content items assigned to the user account remain assigned to the user account, 
 content items assigned to a second account of the family of joined user accounts remains assigned to the second user account; 
 the user account cannot access content items assigned to a second user account of the family of joined user accounts that are not independently assigned to the user account. 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one computing device is further caused to:
 receive a request to add another user account to the family of joined user accounts;   determine whether a total number of user accounts included in the family of joined user accounts is equal to a predetermined limit;   in response to the number of user accounts included in the family of joined user accounts being equal to the predetermined limit, deny the request to add the another user account to the family of joined user accounts.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the user account is designated as a manager account, thereby enabling the user account to add or remove user accounts from the family of joined user accounts. 
     
     
         42 . At least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, upon being executed by one or more computing systems, cause the one or more computing systems to:
 join a user account with a family of joined user accounts, wherein the family of joined user accounts is permitted to download a content item available for purchase through a media store; and   after the user account is joined to the family of joined user accounts, provide access to the content item by the user account in addition to each user account included in the family of joined user accounts, wherein the access to the content item includes streaming or downloading the content item.   
     
     
         43 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 after the user account is joined with the family, assign, to the user account, a content item purchased using the user account, the content item was not available to the family prior to the purchase, wherein the content item can be accessed by the family of joined user accounts at least because the content item that was purchased, using the user account, is assigned to the user account.   
     
     
         44 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 add to the family of joined user accounts, a content item purchased using a second user account of the family of joined user accounts, wherein the family of joined user accounts can access the content item purchased using the second account of the family of joined user accounts.   
     
     
         45 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 unjoin the user account from the family of joined user accounts;   
       join the user account with a second family of joined user accounts, wherein the second family of joined user accounts is permitted to download a second content item available for purchase through a media store. 
     
     
         46 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , wherein the user account cannot be joined to any user account that is not included in the family of joined user accounts. 
     
     
         47 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 unjoin the user account from the family of joined user accounts, wherein, in response to unjoining the user account from the family of joined user accounts:
 content items assigned to the user account remain assigned to the user account, and 
   the user account cannot access content items assigned to a second user account of the family of joined user accounts that are not independently assigned to the user account.   
     
     
         48 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 receive a request to add another user account to the family of joined user accounts;   determine whether a total number of user accounts included in the family of joined user accounts is equal to a predetermined limit;   in response to the number of user accounts included in the family of joined user accounts being equal to the predetermined limit, deny the request to add the another user account to the family of joined user accounts.   
     
     
         49 . The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 42 , wherein the user account is designated as a manager account, thereby enabling the user account to add or remove user accounts from the family of joined user accounts.