Instant message enabled device and method

1. A method of controlling usage of an instant messaging (IM) service by a second person based upon control policies established by a first person, the method comprising:

receiving, by an IM server, a profile for the second person from the first person, wherein the profile comprises one or more control policies for usage of the IM service by the second person;

receiving a request for usage of the IM service by the second person from an IM enabled client device;

accessing at least one control policy for usage of IM service by the second person; and

modifying functionality of the IM enabled client device by transmitting data related to the least one control policy associated with the second person to the IM enabled client device, wherein the functionality of the IM enabled client device is modified by installing a plug-in to comply with the at least one control policy in response to the data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data related to the at least one control policy comprises the plug-in.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one control policy is stored at an IM server by the first person as part of setting up an account for the second person.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second person is a minor and the first person is a guardian of the minor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data related to the at least one control policy is installed as part of a login process of the IM service.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IM enabled client device comprises a policy engine to modify functionality of the IM enabled client device by installing the plug-in to comply with the at least one control policy.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one control policy comprises a limitation on usage of the IM service for a minor.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an instant message from the IM service at the IM enabled client device; and

displaying the instant message at the IM enabled client device in accordance with the at least one control policy.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an instant message from the IM service at the IM enabled client device; and

blocking the instant message at the IM enabled client device in accordance with the at least one control policy.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one control policy indicates at least one time when a received message is to be blocked or allowed.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a record of actions taken by the IM enabled client device to comply with the at least one control policy.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an activity log from the IM enabled client device to the IM service.

13. An instant messaging (IM) enabled client device comprising:

an IM application to interact with an IM service;

a memory to store data related to at least one control policy related to the IM service the data received from a server associated with the IM service; and

a policy engine configured to limit usage of the IM service by a second person based on the at least one control policy associated with the second person established by a first person by modifying functionality of the IM enabled client device by installing a plug-in to comply with the at least one control policy in response to the data.

14. The IM enabled client device of claim 13 , further comprising a user interface to receive the at least one control policy associated with the second person and to send the at least one control policy to the IM service.

15. The IM enabled client device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one control policy includes a restriction on when the IM enabled client device can be used.

16. The IM enabled client device of claim 13 , wherein the memory stores a record of actions taken at the IM enabled client device.

17. The IM enabled client device of claim 13 , wherein at least one alert is sent based on an action taken at the IM enabled client device.

18. The IM enabled client device of claim 17 , wherein the at least one alert is sent to another device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions, wherein the computer readable instructions are executable by a computer to:

receive a profile from a first person to set up an account for a second person, wherein the profile comprises one or more control policies for usage of an instant messaging (IM) service by the second person;

receive a request for usage of the IM service by the second person from an IM enabled client device;

access at least one control policy for usage of IM service by the second person; and

modify functionality of the IM enabled client device by transmitting data related to the least one control policy associated with the second person to the IM enabled client device, wherein the functionality of the IM enabled client device is modified by installing a plug-in to comply with the at least one control policy in response to the data.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructions to receive an instant message from the IM service and to display the instant message at the IM enabled client device in accordance with the at least one control policy.