Automated management of private information

1. An computing apparatus for managing private information, comprising:

a profile memory unit configured to store profile data representing private information of a first user;

a first reception unit configured to receive first setting data from a terminal of the first user, the first setting data being based on a predetermined template used to create a privacy rule defining a condition for restricting disclosure of the private information and a restriction method;

a creation unit configured to create the privacy rule in accordance with the first setting data received by the first reception unit;

a privacy rule memory unit configured to store the privacy rule created by the creation unit;

a determination unit configured to, in a case where undisclosed image data requested to be disclosed on a predetermined website contains the private information represented by the profile data, extract metadata contained in the undisclosed image data and determine whether or not the metadata satisfies the condition for restricting disclosure of the private information; and

an execution unit configured to, in a case where it is determined by the determination unit that the metadata satisfies the condition, execute the restriction method defined by the privacy rule.

2. The computing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the condition for restricting disclosure of the private information includes a range related to a capturing date and time of the undisclosed image data.

3. The computing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the range related to the capturing date and time is a range from when a start instruction is received to when an end instruction is received from the terminal of the first user.

4. The computing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the condition for restricting disclosure of the private information includes a range related to a capturing location of the undisclosed image data.

5. The computing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the range related to the capturing location is a predetermined range including a determined location of the terminal of the first user.

6. The computing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first reception unit receives, from the terminal of the first user, the first setting data containing an instruction regarding a restriction method selected from among a predetermined number of preset restriction methods in order to define the restriction method to be used to restrict disclosure of the private information.

7. The computing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the execution unit executes the restriction method in a case where a second user who made a request to disclose the undisclosed image data approves execution of the restriction method.

8. The computing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the restriction method is selected from a group of predefined restriction methods comprising prohibition of disclosure, permission of disclosure through masking, approval notification and disclosure notification.

9. The computing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the profile data comprises a mutual reference setting indicating the first user and a second user mutually approve application of their respective privacy rules.

10. An computing apparatus for managing private information, comprising:

a profile memory unit configured to store profile data representing private information of a first user;

a first reception unit configured to receive first setting data from a terminal of the first user, the first setting data being based on a predetermined template used to create a privacy rule defining a condition for restricting disclosure of the private information and a restriction method;

a creation unit configured to create the privacy rule in accordance with the first setting data received by the first reception unit;

a privacy rule memory unit configured to store the privacy rule created by the creation unit;

a determination unit configured to, in a case where undisclosed image data requested to be disclosed on a predetermined website contains the private information represented by the profile data, extract metadata contained in the undisclosed image data and determine whether or not the metadata satisfies the condition for restricting disclosure of the private information; and

an execution unit configured to, in a case where it is determined by the determination unit that the metadata satisfies the condition, execute the restriction method defined by the privacy rule; and

a second reception unit configured to receive, from the terminal of the first user, second setting data representing the restriction method in a case where it is determined by the determination unit that the metadata satisfies the condition, wherein

in the case where the second setting data is received, the execution unit executes the restriction method represented by the second setting data instead of the restriction method defined by the privacy rule.

11. The computing apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising

a transmission request unit configured to, in a case where it is determined by the determination unit that the metadata satisfies the condition, transmit the undisclosed image data to the terminal of the first user so as to request the terminal of the first user to transmit the second setting data.

12. A method for a computer to suppress leakage of private information, the computer including a profile memory unit configured to store profile data representing private information of a user, the method comprising:

receiving setting data from a terminal of the user, the setting data being based on a predetermined template used to create a privacy rule defining a condition for restricting disclosure of the private information and a restriction method;

creating the privacy rule in accordance with the setting data received in the reception step;

storing the privacy rule created in the creation step;

a determination step of, in a case where undisclosed image data requested to be disclosed on a predetermined website contains the private information represented by the profile data, extracting metadata contained in the undisclosed image data and determining whether or not the metadata satisfies the condition for restricting disclosure of the private information; and

an execution step of, in a case where it is determined in the determination step that the metadata satisfies the condition, executing the restriction method defined by the privacy rule.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the restriction method is selected from a group of predefined restriction methods comprising prohibition of disclosure, permission of disclosure through masking, approval notification and disclosure notification.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving, from the terminal of the first user, second setting data representing the restriction method in a case where it is determined by the determination unit that the metadata satisfies the condition, wherein

responsive to receiving the second setting data, executing the restriction method represented by the second setting data instead of the restriction method defined by the privacy rule.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the profile data comprises a mutual reference setting indicating the first user and a second user mutually approve application of their respective privacy rules.

16. A computer program product for suppressing leakage of private information, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a data processing system to cause the data processing system to perform steps of:

receiving setting data from a terminal of the user, the setting data being based on a predetermined template used to create a privacy rule defining a condition for restricting disclosure of the private information and an executable restriction method;

creating the privacy rule in accordance with the setting data received in the reception step;

storing the privacy rule created in the creation step;

a determination step of, in a case where undisclosed image data requested to be disclosed on a predetermined website contains the private information represented by the profile data, extracting metadata contained in the undisclosed image data and determining whether or not the metadata satisfies the condition for restricting disclosure of the private information; and

an execution step of, in a case where it is determined in the determination step that the metadata satisfies the condition, executing the executable restriction method defined by the privacy rule.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein the restriction method is selected from a group of predefined restriction methods comprising prohibition of disclosure, permission of disclosure through masking, approval notification and disclosure notification.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16 , further comprising:

receiving, from the terminal of the first user, second setting data representing the restriction method in a case where it is determined by the determination unit that the metadata satisfies the condition, wherein

responsive to receiving the second setting data, executing the restriction method represented by the second setting data instead of the restriction method defined by the privacy rule.

19. The computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein the profile data comprises a mutual reference setting indicating the first user and a second user mutually approve application of their respective privacy rules.