IP Library Granted Patent US 11,567,983
Granted Patent B2
US 11,567,983 · App. 17/347,529 · Granted Jan 31, 2023

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 11,567,983
App. No.
17/347,529
Granted
Jan 31, 2023
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 (67)

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

classifying content posted from a managed social account to a plurality of accounts across disparate social networking platforms, wherein the classifying comprises:

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

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

determining a content policy based at least on the classification of the content from the classifying, the content policy stored in a policy database accessible by the computing device;

determining whether the content policy has been violated;

determining whether the content policy specifies an action when the content policy is violated; and

responsive to the content policy having been violated and the content policy specifying what action to take when the content policy is violated, taking the action with respect to the content without user input.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the action comprises deleting the content from the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the action comprises notifying a user of the managed social account.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the action comprises generating an email message and sending the email message to a specified email account associated with a user of the managed social account.

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

selecting a social network from a list of social networks associated with the managed social account or a user of the computing device;

determining new content added to the social network since last time the computing device checked the social network;

retrieving the new content from the social network; and

classifying the new content, the classifying including performing at least one of the text analysis, the image analysis, or the multimedia analysis of the new content.

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

determining, based on a classification of the new content from the classifying, whether the classification of the new content has an associated policy;

responsive to the classification of the new content having an associated policy, determining whether the associated policy indicates an action; and

responsive to the associated policy indicating an action, taking the action with respect to the new content.

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

invoking the selecting at a regular time interval, at a random time interval, or upon detection that the new content has been uploaded or is about to be uploaded to the social network.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium and translatable by the processor for:

classifying content posted from a managed social account to a plurality of accounts across disparate social networking platforms, wherein the classifying comprises:

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

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

determining a content policy based at least on the classification of the content from the classifying, the content policy stored in a policy database;

determining whether the content policy has been violated;

determining whether the content policy specifies an action when the content policy is violated; and

responsive to the content policy having been violated and the content policy specifying what action to take when the content policy is violated, taking the action with respect to the content without user input.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the action comprises deleting the content from the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the action comprises notifying a user of the managed social account.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the action comprises generating an email message and sending the email message to a specified email account associated with a user of the managed social account.

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

selecting a social network from a list of social networks associated with the managed social account or a user of the system;

determining new content added to the social network since last time the system checked the social network;

retrieving the new content from the social network; and

classifying the new content, the classifying including performing at least one of the text analysis, the image analysis, or the multimedia analysis of the new content.

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

determining, based on a classification of the new content from the classifying, whether the classification of the new content has an associated policy;

responsive to the classification of the new content having an associated policy, determining whether the associated policy indicates an action; and

responsive to the associated policy indicating an action, taking the action with respect to the new content.

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

invoking the selecting at a regular time interval, at a random time interval, or upon detection that the new content has been uploaded or is about to be uploaded to the social network.

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

classifying content posted from a managed social account to a plurality of accounts across disparate social networking platforms, wherein the classifying comprises:

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

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

determining a content policy based at least on the classification of the content from the classifying, the content policy stored in a policy database;

determining whether the content policy has been violated;

determining whether the content policy specifies an action when the content policy is violated; and

responsive to the content policy having been violated and the content policy specifying what action to take when the content policy is violated, taking the action with respect to the content without user input.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises deleting the content from the plurality of accounts across the disparate social networking platforms.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises notifying a user of the managed social account.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises generating an email message and sending the email message to a specified email account associated with a user of the managed social account.

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

selecting a social network from a list of social networks associated with the managed social account or a user of the system;

determining new content added to the social network since last time the system checked the social network, wherein the selecting is invoked at a regular time interval, at a random time interval, or upon detection that the new content has been uploaded or is about to be uploaded to the social network;

retrieving the new content from the social network; and

classifying the new content, the classifying including performing at least one of the text analysis, the image analysis, or the multimedia analysis of the new content.

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

determining, based on a classification of the new content from the classifying, whether the classification of the new content has an associated policy;

responsive to the classification of the new content having an associated policy, determining whether the associated policy indicates an action; and

responsive to the associated policy indicating an action, taking the action with respect to the new content.

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 Jul 28, 2021
From: SUTTON, RICHARD BANKS; DORIE, ANTHONY LAWRENCE; YAN, WENCHANG; REDMOND, DEVIN HUGH; KRUCK, RAYMOND; NADIR, DANIEL OSHIRO
To: PROOFPOINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 057014/0778 →