Techniques for sharing content information with members of a virtual user group in a network environment without compromising user privacy

1. A method of communicating content information related to one or more virtual user groups from a first user system, the method comprising:

storing first information on the first user system, the first information identifying a set of one or more virtual user groups subscribed to by a user of the first user system, the set of virtual user groups including a first virtual user group;

Automatically identifying, at the first user system from content information accessed by a user using the first user system, content information that is relevant to any of the virtual user groups identified by the first information, the identified content information comprising content information that is relevant to the first virtual user group, wherein the identifying is done substantially free of any input from the user of the first user system; and

communicating the identified content information that is relevant to the first virtual user group from the first user system to a server hosting the first virtual user group to enable communication of the identified content information relevant to the first virtual user group to one or more other subscribers of the first virtual user group;

wherein automatically identifying the content information at the first user system comprises;

determining, at the first user system, contents of a content source accessed using the first user system;

determining, at the first user system, a topic to which the contents of the content source are related;

determining, at the first user system, if the topic is related to the first virtual user group; and

identifying, at the first user system, the contents of the content source as being relevant to the first virtual user group upon determining that the topic is related to the first virtual user group.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating the identified content information received by the server from the first user system from the server to a second user system, wherein the second user system stores second information identifying a set of one or more virtual user groups subscribed to by a user of the second user system;

determining, at the second user system, if the content information received from the server is relevant to a virtual user group identified by the second information; and

outputting the content information received by the second user system from the server upon determining that the content information received from the server is relevant to a virtual user group identified by the second information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the content source is a document.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the document is a web page.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, at the first user system, a plurality of servers hosting the set of virtual user groups subscribed to by the user; and

determining, from the plurality of servers, the server hosting the first virtual user group.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, at the first user system, a plurality of servers hosting the set of virtual user groups subscribed to by the user; and

communicating the content information relevant to the first virtual user group to each server in the plurality of servers.

7. A method of communicating content information from a user system, the method comprising:

at the user system:

storing information indicating that a user is a member of a plurality of virtual user groups;

identifying, from content information accessed by a user using the user system, content information relevant to a virtual user group from the plurality of virtual user groups;

determining a plurality of servers hosting the plurality of virtual user groups; and

communicating the identified content information from the user system to each server in the plurality of servers;

wherein identifying the content information at the user system comprises:

determining contents of a content source accessed at the user system;

determining a topic to which the contents of the content source are related;

determining if the topic is related to the virtual user group; and

identifying the contents of the content source as being relevant to the virtual user group upon determining that the topic is related to the virtual user group.

8. A system for communicating content information comprising:

a memory, the memory configured to store information identifying a plurality of virtual user groups; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:

identify, from content information accessed by a user, content information relevant to a virtual user group from the plurality of virtual user groups by:

determining contents of a content source accessed by the user,

determining a topic to which the contents of the content source are related,

determining if the topic is related to the virtual user group, and

identifying the contents of the content source as being relevant to the virtual user group upon determining that the topic is related to the virtual user group;

determine a plurality of servers hosting the plurality of virtual user groups; and

communicate the identified content information to each server in the plurality of servers.

9. A system for communicating information, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store membership information, the membership information identifying a set of one or more virtual user groups subscribed to by a user, the set of virtual user groups including a first virtual user group;

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:

automatically identify, from content information accessed by a user, content information that is relevant to any of the virtual user groups identified by the membership information, the identified content information comprising content information that is relevant to the first virtual user group, wherein the identifying is done substantially free of any input from the user; and

communicate the identified content information that is relevant to the first virtual user group to a server hosting the first virtual user group to enable communication of the identified content information relevant to the first virtual user group to one or more other subscribers of the first virtual user group;

wherein the processor is configured to automatically identify the content information by determining contents of a content source accessed by the user, determining a tonic to which the contents of the content source are related, determining if the topic is related to the first virtual user group, and identifying the contents of the content source as being relevant to the first virtual user group upon determining that the topic is related to the first virtual user group.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the content source is a document.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the document is a web page.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a plurality of servers hosting the set of virtual user groups subscribed to by the user; and

determine, from the plurality of servers, the server hosting the first virtual user group.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a plurality of servers hosting the set of virtual user groups subscribed to by the user; and

communicate the content information relevant to the first virtual user group to each server in the plurality of servers.

14. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a user system to communicate content information, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the user system to automatically identify, from content information accessed by a user using the user system, content information that is relevant to one or more virtual user groups subscribed to by a user of the user system, the identified content information comprising content information that is relevant to a first virtual user group subscribed to by the user, wherein the identifying is done substantially free of any input from the user; and

instructions that cause the user system to communicate the identified content information relevant to the first virtual user group to a server hosting the first virtual user group to enable communication of the content information relevant to the first virtual user group to one or more other subscribers of the first virtual user group;

wherein the instructions that cause the user system to automatically identify, from content information accessed by a user using the user system, comprise:

instructions that cause the user system to determine contents of a content source;

instructions that cause the user system to determine a tonic to which the contents of the content source are related;

instructions that cause the user system to determine if the topic is related to the first virtual user group; and

instructions that cause the user system to identify the contents of the content source as being relevant to the first virtual user group upon determining that the topic is related to the first virtual user group.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises:

instructions that cause the user system to determine a plurality of servers hosting the set of virtual user groups subscribed to by the user; and

instructions that cause the user system to determine, from the plurality of servers, the server hosting the first virtual user group.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises:

instructions that cause the user system to determine a plurality of servers hosting the set of virtual user groups subscribed to by the user; and

instructions that cause the user system to communicate the content information relevant to the first virtual user group to each server in the plurality of servers.

17. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a user system to communicate content information, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the user system to identify, from content information accessed by a user using the user system, content information relevant to a virtual user group from a plurality of virtual user groups subscribed to by a user of the user system;

instructions that cause the user system to determine a plurality of servers hosting the plurality of virtual user groups; and

instructions that cause the user system to communicate the identified content information from the user system to each server in the plurality of servers;

wherein the instructions that cause the user system to identify, from content information accessed by a user using the user system, comprise:

instructions that cause the user system to determine contents of a content source;

instructions that cause the user system to determine a topic to which the contents of the content source are related;

instructions that cause the user system to determine if the topic is related to the virtual user group; and

instructions that cause the user system to identify the contents of the content source as being relevant to the virtual user group upon determining that the topic is related to the virtual user group.

18. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a user system to communicate content information, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the user system to identify, from content information accessed by a user using the user system, content information relevant to a virtual user group from a plurality of virtual user groups subscribed to by a user of the user system;

instructions that cause the user system to determine a plurality of servers hosting the plurality of virtual user groups; and

instructions that cause the user system to communicate the identified content information from the user system to each server in the plurality of servers without revealing user-related information to the plurality of servers thereby preserving the user's privacy;

wherein the instructions that cause the user system to automatically identify, from content information accessed by a user using the user system, comprise:

instructions that cause the user system to determine contents of a content source;

instructions that cause the user system to determine a topic to which the contents of the content source are related;

instructions that cause the user system to determine if the topic is related to the virtual user group; and

instructions that cause the user system to identify the contents of the content source as being relevant to first virtual user group upon determining that the topic is related to the virtual user group.

19. A method of communicating content information related to one or more virtual user groups from a first user system, the method comprising:

storing first information on the first user system, the first information identifying a set of one or more virtual user groups subscribed to by a user of the first user system, the set of virtual user groups including a first virtual user group;

automatically identifying, at the first user system from content information accessed by a user using the first user system, content information that is relevant to any of the virtual user groups identified by the first information, the identified content information comprising contents of a content source accessed using the first user system that is relevant to the first virtual user group, wherein the identifying is done substantially free of any input from the user of the first user system; and

communicating the identified content information that is relevant to the first virtual user group from the first user system to a server hosting the first virtual user group to enable communication of the identified content information relevant to the first virtual user group that is located on the first user system to one or more other subscribers of the first virtual user group;

wherein identifying the content information at the first user system comprises:

determining, at the first user system, a topic to which the contents of the content source are related;

determining, at the first user system, if the topic is related to the first virtual user group; and

identifying, at the first user system, the contents of the content source as being relevant to the first virtual user group upon determining that the topic is related to the first virtual user group.