INSTANTIATING BROWSER MEDIA INTO A VIRTUAL SOCIAL VENUE

1 . A computer-implemented method for sharing a streaming media experience in a social setting, the method comprising:

providing a virtual social venue for sharing a streaming media experience with multiple users invited to participate in the virtual social venue;

providing a browser plug-in operable to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue; and

in response to selection of the browser plug-in, streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising causing the media content to be placed into a queue for later presentation within the social venue, before streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual social venue comprises a virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure accommodating a large seating or standing area, the method further comprising populating the seating or standing area with representations of users invited to participate in the virtual social venue.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the virtual social venue includes a virtual representation, within the virtual social venue, of a screen, billboard, window, or other viewing surface from which the streaming media content is presented.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein each seat or standing location provides a unique spatial perspective of the streaming media content.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising enabling users invited to participate in the virtual social venue to select open seats or standing locations in the seating or standing area.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the virtual social venue includes a virtual representation, within the virtual social venue, of multiple screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces, a selectable one from which the streaming media content is presented.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising selecting one of the multiple screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces, from which to display the streaming media content.

9 . A computer-implemented method for sharing a streaming media experience in a social setting, the method comprising:

providing a virtual social venue comprising a virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure and a virtual representation of a screen, billboard, window, or other viewing surface from which streaming media content is to be presented;

admitting multiple users to participate in a streaming media experience within the virtual social venue;

providing at least one of the multiple users with hosting privileges not granted to other users admitted to the virtual social venue;

enabling a user with host privileges to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue; and

streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

providing the user with host privileges a browser plug-in operable to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue; and

in response to selection of the browser plug-in, streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising causing the media content to be placed into a queue for later presentation within the social venue, before streaming the media content to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure accommodates a large virtual seating or standing area, the method further comprising populating the virtual seating or standing area with representations of users invited to participate in the virtual social venue.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein each seat or standing location provides a unique spatial perspective of the streaming media content.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising enabling users invited to participate in the virtual social venue to select open seats or standing locations in the seating or standing area.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the virtual social venue includes virtual representations, within the virtual social venue, of multiple screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces, a selectable one from which the streaming media content is presented.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising selecting one of the multiple screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces, from which to display the streaming media content.

17 . A social media platform for sharing a streaming media experience in a social setting, the social media platform comprising:

a virtual social venue for sharing a streaming media experience with multiple users invited to participate in the virtual social venue; and

an interface with a browser plug-in operable to instantiate streaming media content from an existing web portal of a third party streaming media content provider into the virtual social venue;

wherein in response to selection of the browser plug-in, media content is streamed to the multiple users participating in the virtual social venue.

18 . The social media platform of claim 17 , wherein the virtual social venue comprises a virtual three-dimensional representation of a structure accommodating a large seating or standing area operable to be populated with representations of users invited to participate in the virtual social venue.

19 . The social media platform of claim 18 , wherein the virtual social venue includes a virtual representation, within the virtual social venue, of a screen, billboard, window, or other viewing surface from which the streaming media content is presented.

20 . The social media platform of claim 19 , wherein each seat or standing location provides a unique spatial perspective of the streaming media content.