IP Library Granted Patent US 11,036,778
Granted Patent B2
US 11,036,778 · App. 16/730,745 · Granted Jun 15, 2021

Detecting, classifying, and enforcing policies on social networking activity

Inventors: Richard Banks Sutton (San Mateo, CA); Anthony Lawrence Dorie (San Francisco, CA); Wenchang Yan (Burlingame, CA); Devin Hugh Redmond (Encinitas, CA); Raymond Kruck (Burlingame, CA); Daniel Oshiro Nadir (Carlsbad, CA)
Assignee: PROOFPOINT, INC.
G06F16/353G06F16/00G06F16/122G06F16/958G06F16/9535G06Q50/01H04L63/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,036,778
App. No.
16/730,745
Granted
Jun 15, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Technology is disclosed for detecting, classifying, and/or enforcing policies on social networking activity. The technology can store a content policy, classify content posted to a social network, determine that the classification corresponds to the content policy, and apply an action specified by the content policy to the posted content.

Claims (80)

1. A method performed by a computing device to detect, classify, or enforce policies on social networking activity, the method comprising:

objectively classifying content posted from a managed social account to a plurality of accounts across disparate social networking platforms, wherein the managed social account is associated with the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms, and wherein the objectively classifying the content posted from the managed social account to the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms further comprises:

performing at least one of a text analysis or an image analysis of the content; and

generating a classification of the content based on the at least one of the text analysis or the image analysis of the content;

determining a content policy based at least on the classification of the content from the objectively classifying, the content policy stored in a policy database accessible by the computing device, wherein the content policy specifies at least one action; and

applying the at least one action specified by the content policy to the content without user input.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the content policy is associated with the classification, with the managed social account, or with a user of the managed social account.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting a social networking platform from the disparate social networking platforms associated with the managed social account or with a user of the managed social account.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

retrieving content from the social networking platform, the content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account;

classifying the content retrieved from the social networking platform;

determining a policy for the content based on the classifying;

applying the policy to the content retrieved from the social networking platform; and

taking an action specified by the policy without user input.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

for each of the disparate social networking platforms, performing a routine comprising:

selecting a social networking platform from the disparate social networking platforms associated with the managed social account or with a user of the managed social account;

retrieving content from the social networking platform, the content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account;

classifying the content retrieved from the social networking platform;

determining a policy for the content based on the classifying;

applying the policy to the content retrieved from the social networking platform; and

taking an action specified by the policy without user input.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

invoking the routing at scheduled time intervals, at random time intervals, upon detection that new content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account has been uploaded to one of the disparate social networking platforms, or upon detection that new content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account is about to be uploaded to one of the disparate social networking platforms.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the retrieving utilizes an application programming interface of the social networking platform.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

stored instructions translatable by the processor for:

objectively classifying content posted from a managed social account to a plurality of accounts across disparate social networking platforms, wherein the managed social account is associated with the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms, and wherein the objectively classifying the content posted from the managed social account to the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms further comprises:

performing at least one of a text analysis or an image analysis of the content; and

generating a classification of the content based on the at least one of the text analysis or the image analysis of the content;

determining a content policy based at least on the classification of the content from the objectively classifying, the content policy stored in a policy database, wherein the content policy specifies at least one action; and

applying the at least one action specified by the content policy to the content without user input.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the content policy is associated with the classification, with the managed social account, or with a user of the managed social account.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor for:

selecting a social networking platform from the disparate social networking platforms associated with the managed social account or with a user of the managed social account.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor for:

retrieving content from the social networking platform, the content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account;

classifying the content retrieved from the social networking platform;

determining a policy for the content based on the classifying;

applying the policy to the content retrieved from the social networking platform; and

taking an action specified by the policy without user input.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor for:

for each of the disparate social networking platforms, performing a routine comprising:

selecting a social networking platform from the disparate social networking platforms associated with the managed social account or with a user of the managed social account;

retrieving content from the social networking platform, the content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account;

classifying the content retrieved from the social networking platform;

determining a policy for the content based on the classifying;

applying the policy to the content retrieved from the social networking platform; and

taking an action specified by the policy without user input.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor for:

invoking the routing at scheduled time intervals, at random time intervals, upon detection that new content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account has been uploaded to one of the disparate social networking platforms, or upon detection that new content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account is about to be uploaded to one of the disparate social networking platforms.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the retrieving utilizes an application programming interface of the social networking platform.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions translatable by a processor for:

objectively classifying content posted from a managed social account to a plurality of accounts across disparate social networking platforms, wherein the managed social account is associated with the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms, and wherein the objectively classifying the content posted from the managed social account to the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms further comprises:

performing at least one of a text analysis or an image analysis of the content; and

generating a classification of the content based on the at least one of the text analysis or the image analysis of the content;

determining a content policy based at least on the classification of the content from the objectively classifying, the content policy stored in a policy database, wherein the content policy specifies at least one action; and

applying the at least one action specified by the content policy to the content without user input.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the content policy is associated with the classification, with the managed social account, or with a user of the managed social account.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:

selecting a social networking platform from the disparate social networking platforms associated with the managed social account or with a user of the managed social account.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:

retrieving content from the social networking platform, the content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account;

classifying the content retrieved from the social networking platform;

determining a policy for the content based on the classifying;

applying the policy to the content retrieved from the social networking platform; and

taking an action specified by the policy without user input.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:

for each of the disparate social networking platforms, performing a routine comprising:

selecting a social networking platform from the disparate social networking platforms associated with the managed social account or with a user of the managed social account;

retrieving content from the social networking platform, the content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account;

classifying the content retrieved from the social networking platform;

determining a policy for the content based on the classifying;

applying the policy to the content retrieved from the social networking platform; and

taking an action specified by the policy without user input.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:

invoking the routing at scheduled time intervals, at random time intervals, upon detection that new content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account has been uploaded to one of the disparate social networking platforms, or upon detection that new content associated with the managed social account or with the user of the managed social account is about to be uploaded to one of the disparate social networking platforms.

Assignments (5)
SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 8, 2025
From: PROOFPOINT, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073889/0677 →
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Mar 21, 2024
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS AGENT
To: PROOFPOINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 066865/0648 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 31, 2021
From: PROOFPOINT, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057389/0615 →
SECOND LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 31, 2021
From: PROOFPOINT, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057389/0642 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2019
From: SUTTON, RICHARD BANKS; DORIE, ANTHONY LAWRENCE; YAN, WENCHANG; REDMOND, DEVIN HUGH; KRUCK, RAYMOND; NADIR, DANIEL OSHIRO
To: PROOFPOINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 051389/0656 →