Trust network effect

1. A computer-implemented method for providing relevant results to online search requests, comprising:

determining from one or more databases, by an information retrieval system comprising one or more circuits, that an association exists between a set of participants and a user, wherein the set of participants comprises one or more participants;

receiving, by the information retrieval system, a request from the user, the request corresponding to a subject matter;

determining from the one or more databases, by the information retrieval system, a first set of digital resources, wherein the first set of digital resources comprises one or more digital resources and corresponds to the subject matter;

determining from the one or more databases, by the information retrieval system, that a relationship exists between a digital resource and the set of participants, wherein the digital resource is from among the first set of digital resources;

determining, by the information retrieval system, a second set of digital resources based on at least the association and the relationship, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises one or more digital resources, the second set of digital resources is associated with a set of scores, the set of scores comprises one or more scores, and each score in the set of scores is associated with a digital resource; and

presenting, by the information retrieval system, a response to a device communicatively coupled to the user, wherein the response comprises the second set of digital resources, or one or more indications of digital resources in the second set of digital resources.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the association exists between the user and the set of participants comprises determining, by the information retrieval system, that the relationship exists between the user and the set of participants independently of the request.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the information retrieval system, the digital resource from a member of the set of participants or another user; and

storing, by the computer system, the digital resource at the one or more databases.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving, by the information retrieval system, an indication of the set of participants from the user.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the relationship between the digital resource and the set of participants comprises an activity performed by a member of the set of participants in relation to the digital resource; and

wherein the second set of digital resources comprises the digital resource.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

wherein determining the first set of digital resources comprises determining, by the information retrieval system, an ordered list of digital resources in relation to the request, wherein the ordered list of digital resources comprises the digital resource and another digital resource, and the other digital resource is from among the first set of digital resources; and

wherein determining the second set of digital resources and presenting the response to the device comprise:

determining that the other digital resource is not associated with the set of participants;

generating the second set of digital resources based on at least the association, the relationship, and that the other digital resource has been determined not to be associated with the set of participants, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises another ordered list of digital resources, and the other ordered list of digital resources comprises the digital resource and does not comprise the other digital resource; and

presenting the other ordered list of digital resources to the device.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

wherein determining the first set of digital resources comprises determining, by the computer system, a ranked list of digital resources, wherein the ranked list of digital resources comprises the digital resource and another digital resource, and the other digital resource is associated with a higher rank than the digital resource;

wherein determining the second set of digital resources and presenting the response to the device comprise:

determining that the other digital resource is not associated with the set of participants;

generating the second set of digital resources based on at least the association, the relationship, and that the other digital resource has been determined not to be associated with the set of participants, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises another ranked list of digital resources, and the other ranked list of digital resources comprises the digital resource and the other digital resource, the other digital resource being associated with a rank lower than the digital resource; and

presenting the other ranked list of digital resources to the device.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining that the relationship exists between the digital resource and the set of participants comprises:

determining, by the information retrieval system, that a member of the set of participants submitted or is associated as a source or author with the digital resource.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second set of digital resources and presenting the response to the device comprise:

presenting, by the information retrieval system, the second set of digital resources to the device based on at least the association and that a member of the set of participants associated an unfavorable rating or rank with the digital resource, wherein the second set of digital resources does not comprise the digital resource.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second set of digital resources and presenting the response to the device comprise:

presenting, by the information retrieval system, the second set of digital resources to the device based on at least the association and that at least one member from among the set of participants associated a rating or rank with the digital resource.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second set of digital resources and presenting the response to the device comprise:

determining, by the information retrieval system, that a threshold or a set of criteria for a number of applicable relationships between the set of participants and the digital resource is met; and

presenting, by the information retrieval system, the second set of digital resources to the device based on at least the association and that the threshold or the set of criteria has been determined to be met, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises the digital resource.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein each member of the second set of digital resources is associated with location information; and

wherein determining the second set of digital resources and presenting the response to the device comprise:

determining, by the information retrieval system, an ordered list of digital resources based on at least the relationship, the association, and the location information in relation to a location reference, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises the ordered list of the digital resources and the digital resource; and

presenting, by the information retrieval system, the second set of digital resources.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein each member of the second set of digital resources is associated with time information; and

wherein determining the second set of digital resources and presenting the response to the device comprise:

determining, by the information retrieval system, an ordered list of digital resources based on at least the relationship, the association, and the time information, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises the ordered list of the digital resources and the digital resource; and

presenting, by the information retrieval system, the second set of digital resources.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein each member of the second set of digital resources is associated with price information; and

wherein determining the second set of digital resources and presenting the response to the device comprise:

determining, by the information retrieval system, an ordered list of digital resources based on at least the relationship, the association, and the price information, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises the ordered list of the digital resources and the digital resource; and

presenting, by the information retrieval system, the second set of digital resources.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the relationship between the digital resource and the set of participants comprise an activity performed by a member of the set of participants in relation to the digital resource; and

wherein the second set of digital resources does not comprise the digital resource.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the information retrieval system, a second request from another user, the second request corresponding to the subject matter;

determining from the one or more databases, by the information retrieval system, that an association does not exists between the set of participants and the other user; and

presenting, by the information retrieval system, a third set of digital resources to another device, wherein the other device is communicatively coupled to the other user independently of the relationship.

17. A computer-implemented method for providing relevant results to online search requests, comprising:

associating in one or more databases, by an information system comprising circuitry, a set of participants with a user, wherein the set of participants includes a first participant and a second participant;

receiving, by the information system, a request from the user, wherein the request corresponds to a subject matter;

determining from the one or more databases, by the information system, a first set of digital resources based on at least the request, wherein the first set of digital resources corresponds to the subject matter and comprises a first digital resource and a second digital resource, and the first digital resource and the second digital resource are from among the first set of digital resources;

determining from the one or more databases, by the information system, that a first relationship exists between the first digital resource and the set of participants based on at least a first activity performed in relation to the first digital resource by the first participant, and that a second relationship exists between the second digital resource and the set of participants based on at least a second activity in relation to the second digital resource performed by the second participant, wherein the first activity comprises associating a favorable rating with the first digital resources, and the second activity comprises associating an unfavorable rating with the second digital resource; and

in relation to the first relationship and the second relationship, presenting, by the information system, a second set of digital resources to a device communicatively coupled to the user, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises one or more digital resources, and the one or more digital resources comprise the first digital resource and not the second digital resource, and an ordered list of digital resources.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein presenting the response comprises presenting based on at least one score in the set of scores, by the information retrieval system, the response to the device communicatively coupled to the user.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of digital resources comprises more than one digital resources, and at least one digital resource from among the second set of digital resources is associated with at least one score from among the set of scores.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the association between the set of participants and the user comprises a membership, wherein the membership comprises at least one participant from among the set of participants, and the user adds one or more members to the membership.

21. A system useful in an online information provider accepting requests for information, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor when the system is operational, the memory bearing processor-executable instructions that, when executed on the system, cause the system to at least:

receive an indication of a set of participants from a user;

associate in one or more databases the set of participants with the user in relation to the indication of the set of participants;

receive a request from the user;

determine from the one or more databases a set of digital resources based on at least the request, wherein the set of digital resources comprises one or more digital resources;

determine from the one or more databases that a relationship exists between the request and the set of participants in relation to the set of participants being associated with the user;

determine from the one or more databases another set of digital resources based on at least the relationship, wherein the other set of digital resources comprises one or more digital resources; and

present an indication of the set of digital resources and an indication of the other set of digital resources to a device communicatively coupled the user, wherein the other set of digital resources is associated with a set of scores, the set of scores comprises one or more scores, and each score in the set of scores is associated with a digital resource.

22. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media for enabling an online information retrieval system to provide relevant results, bearing computer-readable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

associating in one or more databases a set of participants with a user, wherein the set of participants comprises one or more participants;

in relation to associating the set of participants with the user, associating in the one or more databases a setting with the user;

receiving a request from the user;

in response to receiving the request, determining from the one or more databases a first set of digital resources and a second set of digital resources based on at least the request, wherein the first set and the second set of digital resources comprise one or more digital resources respectively;

in relation to determining that the setting is on, determining that the first set of digital resources is not associated with the set of participants; and

in relation to determining that the first set of digital resources is not associated with the set of participants, presenting a third set of digital resources to a device communicatively coupled to the user based on at least the second set of digital resources, wherein the second set of digital resources is associated with a set of scores, the set of scores comprises one or more scores, and each score in the set of scores is associated with a digital resource.

23. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 22 , wherein the first set of digital resources and the second set of digital resources comprise entries, each entry being associated with an entity, and a first attribute associated with the entity, and a second attribute associated with the entity, the entity including an offer from a particular seller for a retail item, the first attribute including a submission time, and the second attribute including a price; and

wherein presenting the third set of digital resources to the device comprises:

selecting for each entity in the second set of digital resources an entry, the entry whose first attribute is associated with a value deemed more relevant than values being associated with first attributes of other entries, the other entries being associated with the entity;

generating a list of digital resources based on at least the selected entries, the list of digital resources being sorted based on at least the second attribute; and

presenting the list of digital resources to the device.

24. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 22 , further bearing computer-readable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to set the setting off; and

in relation to determining that the setting is off, presenting a fourth set of digital resources to the device based on at least the first set of digital resources and the second set of digital resources.

25. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 24 , further bearing computer-readable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving another request from the user, wherein the other request is semantically equivalent to the request; and

in response to receiving the other request, determining the first set of digital resources and the second set of digital resources based on at least the other request.

26. A computer-implemented method for providing relevant results to online search requests, comprising:

associating at one or more databases, by an information system comprising circuitry, a set of participants with a user, wherein the set of participants includes one or more participants;

receiving, by the information system, a request from the user, wherein the request corresponds to a subject matter;

determining from the one or more databases, by the information system, a first set of digital resources, wherein the first set of digital resources comprises one or more digital resources and corresponds to the subject matter;

determining, by the information system, that a first relationship exists between a first digital resource and the set of participants based on at least a first activity in relation to the first digital resource performed by a participant, wherein the first digital resource is from among the first set of digital resources, the first digital resource is available at the one or more databases, the participant is from among the one or more participants, and the first activity comprises associating an unfavorable rating with the first digital resource; and

in relation to the request, presenting, by the information system, a second set of digital resources to a device communicatively coupled to the user based on at least the first relationship, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises one or more digital resources and does not comprise the first digital resource.

27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:

wherein determining that the first relationship exists comprises determining, by the information system, that the first relationship exists between the first digital resource and the set of participants and that a second relationship exists between a second digital resource and the set of participants based on at least a second activity in relation to the second digital resource performed by a participant, wherein the second digital resource is from among the first set of digital resources, the participant is from among the one or more participants, and the second activity comprises associating a favorable rating with second digital resource; and

wherein presenting the second set of digital resources to the user comprises presenting, by the information system, the second set of digital resources to the device based on at least the first relationship and the second relationship, wherein the second set of digital resources comprises the second digital resource and does not comprise the first digital resource.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first set of digital resources comprises an ordered list of digital resources, and the second set of digital resources comprises another ordered list of digital resources.

29. A computer-implemented method for providing relevant results to online search requests, comprising:

determining from one or more databases, by a search engine system comprising circuitry, that an association exists between a set of participants and a user, wherein the set of participants comprises one or more participants;

receiving, by the search engine system, a request from the user, the request corresponding to a subject matter;

determining from the one or more databases, by the search engine system, a first set of digital resources, wherein the first set of digital resources comprises one or more digital resources and corresponds to the subject matter;

determining from the one or more databases, by the search engine system, that a relationship exists between a digital resource and the set of participants, wherein the digital resource is from among the first set of digital resources;

determining, by the search engine system, a set of scores based on at least the association and the relationship, wherein each score in the set of scores is associated with a digital resource; and

presenting, by the search engine system, a response to a device communicatively coupled to the user, wherein the response comprises a list of digital resources, or a list of one or more indications of digital resources, and the order of the list is based on at least the set of scores.