Mapping and obscuring digital representations of a number of user accounts on a social network map
Mapping and obscuring digital representations of a number of user accounts on a social network map includes identifying a primary user account from a number of user accounts of a social network, determining, based on metadata associated with the user accounts, a relationship for each of the user accounts relative to the primary user account, mapping, based on the relationship for each of the user accounts relative to the primary user account, a digital representation of each of the user accounts to a territory on a social network map, determining, based on the relationship for each of the user accounts relative to the primary user account, an obscurity level for each of the user accounts, and obscuring, based on the obscurity level, the territory associated with the digital representation of each of the user accounts on a social network map from the primary user account.
1. A method for promoting expansion of a social network supported by a server computer, the method comprising, with the server computer:
determining a social relationship between a primary user of the social network and a number of other users of the social network based on comparing data for the primary user with data for the other users of the social network;
determining an obscurity level for each of the other users based on the social relationship for each of the users relative to the primary user;
presenting a social network map showing a representation of the primary user and the number of other users of the social network, wherein a strength of the determined social relationship between each other user and the primary user is indicated on the social network map; and
based on the determined obscurity level, obscuring the representation of at least some of the other users by reducing visibility of at least parts of the social network map so as to obscure identity of at least some of the other users represented on the social network map.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising revealing an identity of one of the other users who was obscured in response to the primary user exploring a corresponding part of the social network map.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obscuring some parts of the social network map more than other parts.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising indicating the strength of the social relationship between the primary user and the other users on the social network map by a level at which representation of the other users is obscured, with a first other user having a weaker relationship to the primary user having a more obscured representation on the social network map than a second other user having a stronger relationship to the primary user.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary user does not yet have an established connection in the social network to at least one of the other users represented on the social network map.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting a digital reward to the primary user based on exploration of the presented social network map.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a level of obscurity obscuring identity of a first other user changes over time based on how long since the primary user has visited an account for the first other user.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obscuring at least parts of the social network map with a digital fog.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data that is compared comprises any of:
whether the primary user has established a connection with an account of the other users, how long the primary user has had an established connection with an account of the other users, how often the primary user accesses accounts of the other user.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an indication on the social network map as to how long ago the primary user visited an account of one of the other users represented on the social network map.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising representing the primary user and number of other users on the social network map using avatars.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving user input selecting an obscured part of the social network map; and
revealing identification of at least one of the other users associated with that selected part of the social network map by ceasing to obscure that selected part of the social network map.
13. A method for mapping and obscuring digital representations of a number of user accounts on a social network map, the method comprising, with a hardware processor and computer program code, communicatively coupled to the processor:
receiving data for user accounts associated with a social network;
determining, based on the data associated with the user accounts, a relationship for each of the user accounts relative to a primary user account;
presenting a digital representation of a social network map mapping each of the user accounts relative to the primary user account;
determining, based on the relationship for each be user accounts relative to the primary user account, an obscurity level for each of the user accounts;
reducing visibility of respective representations of the user accounts on the social network map based on the determined obscurity level for each of the user accounts; and
displaying the social network map on a display of a user device for a user associated with the primary user account.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising presenting a digital reward to the primary user account based on exploration of the social network map.
15. The method of claim 13 , in which the relationship for each of the user accounts relative to the primary user account is represented as a distance on the social network map.
16. The method of claim 13 , in which the obscurity level represents a degree to a user associated with the primary user account has explored the territory related to the digital representation of each of the user accounts on the social network map.
17. The method of claim 13 , in which the obscurity level is modified based on activity of the primary user account.
18. A method for mapping and obscuring digital representations of a number of user accounts on a social network map, the method comprising:
determining a social relationship between a primary user of the social network and a number of other users of the social network based on comparing data for the primary user with data for the other users of the social network;
determining an obscurity level for each of the other users based on the social relationship for each of the users relative to the primary user;
presenting the social network map showing a representation of the primary user and the number of other users of the social network, wherein a strength of the determined social relationship between each other user and the primary user is indicated on the social network map; and
based on the determined obscurity level, obscuring the representation of at least some of the other users by reducing visibility of at least parts of the social network map so as to obscure identity of at least some of the other users represented on the social network map.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising revealing an identity of one of the other users who was obscured in response to the primary user exploring a corresponding part of the social network map.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising presenting a digital reward to the primary user based on exploration of the presented social network map.