Granted Patent B1

US 9,699,191 · App. 14/689,074 · Granted Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

Claims (53)

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling content for child browser users, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying at least one indicator that a browser session user is a child;

based on the indicator indicating that the browser session user is a child, calculating a session score indicating a likelihood that the browser session user is a child;

determining, based at least in part on the session score being above a threshold, that the browser session user is a child and therefore content controls are configured to apply to a browser session of the child;

based on the determination that content controls are configured to apply to the browser session, initiating at least one content control action.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device that performs the portion of the computer-implemented method comprises a server of a content service.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device that performs the portion of the computer-implemented method comprises a proxy server that relays communications between at least one client and a content service.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the indicator that the browser session user is a child comprises identifying at least one change to a request sent to a backend server when compared to a request received by the backend server.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the indicator that the browser session user is a child comprises:

comparing a time to transmit a first form with a time to transmit a second form comprising the same quantity of data as the first form, wherein the first form comprises more user interface elements than the second form;

determining that the time to transmit the first form is greater than the time to transmit the second form;

in response to determining that the time to transmit the first form is greater than the time to transmit the second form, determining that a content monitor that parses the first and second forms is likely present.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the indicator that the browser session user is a child comprises identifying a presence of at least one parental control extension in a browser used in the browser session.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the indicator that the browser session user is a child comprises:

rendering content during the browser session in a manner invisible to the browser session user;

detecting at least one change to the rendered content;

in response to detecting the change, determining that a parental control is likely controlling content rendered during the browser session.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the change to rendered content comprises at least one of:

removal of an offensive word;

blocking content requested from a domain known to contain adult content.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the content control action comprises at least one of:

modifying terms in search requests received during the browser session;

modifying content delivered during the browser session.

10. A system for controlling content for child browser users, the system comprising:

an identification module, stored in memory, that identifies at least one indicator that a browser session user is a child;

a scoring module, stored in memory, that, based on the indicator indicating that the browser session user is a child, calculates a session score indicating a likelihood that the browser session user is a child;

an evaluation module, stored in memory, that determines, based at least in part on the session score being above a threshold, that the browser session user is a child and therefore content controls are configured to apply to a browser session of the child;

a content control module, stored in memory, that, based on the determination that content controls are configured to apply to the browser session, initiates at least one content control action;

at least one physical processor configured to execute the identification module, the scoring module, the evaluation module, and the content control module.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the system comprises a server of a content service.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the system comprises a proxy server that relays communications between at least one client and a content service.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identification module identifies the indicator that the browser session user is a child by identifying at least one change to a request sent to a backend server when compared to a request received by the backend server.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identification module identifies the indicator that the browser session user is a child by:

comparing a time to transmit a first form with a time to transmit a second form comprising the same quantity of data as the first form, wherein the first form comprises more user interface elements and the second form comprises fewer user interface elements;

determining that the time to transmit the first form is greater than the time to transmit the second form;

in response to determining that the time to transmit the first form is greater than the time to transmit the second form, determining that a content monitor that parses the first and second forms is likely present.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identification module identifies the indicator that the browser session user is a child by identifying a presence of at least one parental control extension in a browser used in the browser session.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the identification module identifies the indicator that the browser session user is a child by:

rendering content during the browser session in a manner invisible to the browser session user;

detecting at least one change to the rendered content;

in response to detecting the change, determining that a parental control is likely controlling content rendered during the browser session.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the change to rendered content comprises at least one of:

removal of an offensive word;

blocking content requested from a domain known to contain adult content.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the content control action comprises at least one of:

modifying terms in search requests received during the browser session;

modifying content delivered during the browser session.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

identify at least one indicator that a browser session user is a child;

based on the indicator indicating that the browser session user is a child, calculate a session score indicating a likelihood that the browser session user is a child;

determine, based at least in part on the session score being above a threshold, that the browser session user is a child and therefore content controls are configured to apply to a browser session of the child;

based on the determination that content controls are configured to apply to the browser session initiate at least one content control action.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the computing device that executes the one or more computer-readable instructions comprises a server of a content service.

Assignments (6)