System and method for presenting during a programming event an invitation to follow content on a social media site

1. A system for providing program related content via a social networking site, the system comprising:

a headend operated by a multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD);

a video termination device in communication with the headend via a network operated by the MVPD;

a click-to-follow server; and

a datastore, wherein the datastore comprises linking information associated with an identifier of the video termination device and wherein the linking information comprises data sufficient to provide access to an account of the subscriber on the social networking site,

wherein the headend comprises a processor configured to perform operations comprising:

identifying program content in a video stream being provided to a subscriber of the MVPD;

identifying content available on a social networking site that is related to the program content and on which the subscriber has an account;

generating a click-to-follow application comprising a bound portion having a first lifetime based on a second lifetime of an object to which the click-to-follow application is bound and an unbound portion, wherein the bound portion comprises an invitation to receive program related content on the social networking site and wherein the unbound portion comprises instructions to process a response to the invitation; and

inserting the click-to-follow application in the video stream, and

wherein the video termination device comprises a processor configured to perform operations comprising:

determining whether the first life of the bound application has expired;

discarding the click-to-follow application when the life of the bound application has expired;

executing the invitation according to the unbound portion to determine whether the invitation is accepted when the lifetime of the bound application has not expired;

discarding the click-to-follow application when the invitation is not accepted; and

sending a query to the click-to-follow server when the subscriber accepts the invitation, and

wherein the click-to-follow server comprises a processor configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving the query from the video termination device, wherein the query comprises the identifier of the video termination device;

using the identifier of the video termination device to obtain the linking information from the datastore;

accessing the subscriber account on the social media site using the linking information; and

modifying the subscriber account on the social media site to follow a page or join a group identified in the invitation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a program video stream, a program and a time.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the content related to the video content is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, a product offer, program information, a plot summary, a story summary, a character description, and a cast member biography.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the linking information includes at least one data element selected from the group consisting of a user identifier, a password and a session ID provided by the social networking site.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor of the click-to-follow server is configured to perform operations further comprising:

sending the video termination device a notice when the subscriber linking information does not allow access to the social network account.

6. A method for providing program related content via a social networking site, the method comprising:

identifying by a first processor program content in a video stream being provided to a subscriber of a multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD);

identifying by the first processor content available on a social networking site that is related to the program content and on which the subscriber has an account;

generating by the first processor a click-to-follow application comprising a bound portion having a first lifetime based on a second lifetime of an object to which the click-to-follow application is bound and an unbound portion, wherein the bound portion comprises an invitation to receive program related content on the social networking site and wherein the unbound portion comprises instructions to process a response to the invitation;

inserting the click-to-follow application in the video stream;

receiving at a second processor on a video termination device the click-to-follow application;

determining by the second processor whether the first life of the bound application has expired;

discarding by the second processor the click-to-follow application when the life of the bound application has expired;

executing by the second processor the invitation according to the unbound portion to determine whether the invitation is accepted when the lifetime of the bound application has not expired;

discarding by the second processor the click-to-follow application when the invitation is not accepted;

sending by the second processor a query to a click-to-follow server when the subscriber accepts the invitation;

receiving by a third processor operation on the click-to-follow server the query, wherein the query comprises an identifier of the video termination device;

using by the third processor the identifier of the video termination device to obtain linking information, wherein the linking information comprises data sufficient to provide access to an account of the subscriber on the social networking site;

accessing by the third processor the subscriber account on the social media site using the linking information; and

modifying by the third processor the subscriber account on the social media site to follow a page or join the group identified in the invitation.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a program video stream, a program and a time.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the content related to the video content is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, a product offer, program information, a plot summary, a story summary, a character description, and a cast member biography.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the subscriber linking information is selected from the group consisting of a user identifier, a password and a session ID provided by the social networking site.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

sending by the third processor a notice to the video termination device when the subscriber linking information does not allow access to the social network account.

11. A system for providing program related content via a social networking site, the system comprising:

a headend operated by a multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD),

wherein the headend comprises a processor configured to perform operations comprising:

identifying program content in a video stream being provided to a subscriber of the MVPD;

identifying content available on a social networking site that is related to the program content and on which the subscriber has an account;

generating a click-to-follow application comprising a bound portion having a first lifetime based on a second lifetime of an object to which the click-to-follow application is bound and an unbound portion, wherein the bound portion comprises an invitation to receive program related content on the social networking site and wherein the unbound portion comprises instructions to process a response to the invitation; and

inserting the click-to-follow application in the video stream;

a video termination device in communication with the headend via a network operated by the MVPD, wherein the video termination device comprises a processor configured to perform operations comprising:

determining whether the first life of the bound application has expired;

discarding the click-to-follow application when the life of the bound application has expired;

executing the invitation according to the unbound portion to determine whether the invitation is accepted when the lifetime of the bound application has not expired;

discarding the click-to-follow application when the invitation is not accepted;

acquiring linking information from a user input device when the invitation is accepted;

validating that the subscriber linking information allows access to the social network account; and

sending a query to the click-to-follow server when the subscriber linking information allows access to the social network account, wherein the query comprises the linking information; and

a click-to-follow server, comprising a processor configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving the query from the video termination device;

accessing the subscriber account on the social media site using the linking information; and

modifying the subscriber account on the social media site to follow a page or join the group identified in the invitation.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a program video stream, a program and a time.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the content related to the video content is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, a product offer, program information, a plot summary, a story summary, a character description, and a cast member biography.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the linking information is selected from the group consisting of a user identifier, a password and a session ID provided by the social networking site.

15. A method for providing program related content via a social networking site, the method comprising:

identifying by a first processor program content in a video stream being provided to a subscriber of a multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD);

identifying by the first processor content available on a social networking site that is related to the program content and on which the subscriber has an account;

generating by the first processor a click-to-follow application comprising a bound portion having a first lifetime based on a second lifetime of an object to which the click-to-follow application is bound and an unbound portion, wherein the bound portion comprises an invitation to receive program related content on the social networking site and wherein the unbound portion comprises instructions to process a response to the invitation;

inserting by the first processor the click-to-follow application in the video stream;

receiving at a second processor on a video termination device the click-to-follow application;

determining by the second processor whether the first life of the bound application has expired;

discarding by the second processor the click-to-follow application when the life of the bound application has expired;

executing by the second processor the invitation according to the unbound portion to determine whether the invitation is accepted when the lifetime of the bound application has not expired;

discarding by the second processor the click-to-follow application when the invitation is not accepted;

acquiring by the second processor linking information from a user input device when the invitation is accepted;

validating by the second processor that the subscriber linking information allows access to the social network account;

sending by the second processor a query to the click-to-follow server when the subscriber linking information allows access to the social network account, wherein the query comprises the linking information;

receiving by a third processor operated on the click-to-follow server the query;

accessing by the third processor the subscriber account on the social media site using the linking information; and

modifying by the third processor the subscriber account on the social media site to follow a page or join the group identified in the invitation.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a program video stream, a program and a time.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the content related to the video content is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, a product offer, program information, a plot summary, a story summary, a character description, and a cast member biography.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the linking information is selected from the group consisting of a user identifier, a password and a session ID provided by the social networking site.