Text-Based Communication Services Based On User-Specified Privacy Settings
A text-based communication service executes a collaborative data security protocol and/or pricing of services based at least in part on a user-specified privacy policy. The user-specified privacy policy may dictate, for example, a manner of filtering or encryption of user text and may be implemented in text-based communication services including, without limitation, webmail, social networking, web search and Instant Messaging services.
1 . A method of providing a text-based communication service, in accordance with a communication system including a user platform operably connected to a service platform, the method comprising the service platform:
receiving text content from the user platform;
filtering the text content according to a user-specified privacy policy, yielding filtered text content; and
performing at least one service feature using the filtered text content.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving indicia of the user-specified privacy policy; and
pricing at least one aspect of the text-based communication service based on the user-specified privacy policy.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the text-based communication service comprises a webmail service, the at least one service feature comprising extracting user data from the filtered text content for the basis of user-focused advertising.
4 . Apparatus for providing a text-based communication service, in accordance with a communication system including a user platform operably connected to a service platform, the apparatus at the service platform comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor operably coupled to the memory and configured to:
(a) receive text content from the user platform;
(b) filter the text content according to a user-specified privacy policy, yielding filtered text content; and
(c) perform at least one service feature using the filtered text content.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive indicia of the user-specified privacy policy; and
price at least one aspect of the text-based communication service based on the user-specified privacy policy.
6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the text-based communication service comprises a webmail service, and wherein the processor at part (c) is configured to extract user data from the filtered text content for the basis of user-focused advertising.
7 . A method of providing a text-based communication service, in accordance with a communication system including a user platform operably connected to a service platform, the method comprising the service platform:
receiving filtered text content from the user platform, the filtered text content having been filtered from original text content according to a user-specified privacy policy; and
performing at least one service feature using the filtered text content.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving indicia of the user-specified privacy policy; and
pricing at least one aspect of the text-based communication service based on the user-specified privacy policy.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the text-based communication service comprises a webmail service, the at least one service feature comprising extracting user data from the filtered text content for the basis of user-focused advertising.
10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising the service platform:
receiving encrypted text content from the user platform;
receiving indicia of the user-specified privacy policy;
performing a security check based on the encrypted text content and the user-specified privacy policy to verify that the filtered text content received from the user platform corresponds to the original text content having been filtered according to the user-specified privacy policy.
11 . Apparatus for providing a text-based communication service, in accordance with a communication system including a user platform operably connected to a service platform, the apparatus at the service platform comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor operably coupled to the memory and configured to:
(a) receive filtered text content from the user platform, the filtered text content having been filtered from original text content according to a user-specified privacy policy; and
(b) perform at least one service feature using the filtered text content.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive indicia of the user-specified privacy policy; and
price at least one aspect of the text-based communication service based on the user-specified privacy policy.
13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the text-based communication service comprises a webmail service, and wherein the processor at part (b) is configured to extract user data from the filtered text content for the basis of user-focused advertising.
14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive encrypted text content from the user platform;
receive indicia of the user-specified privacy policy;
perform a security check based on the encrypted text content and the user-specified privacy policy to verify that the filtered text content received from the user platform corresponds to the original text content having been filtered according to the user-specified privacy policy.
15 . A method of providing a text-based communication service, in accordance with a communication system including a user platform operably connected to a service platform, the method comprising the service platform:
receiving filtered text content from the user platform, the filtered text content having been filtered from original text content according to a user-specified privacy policy;
performing one or more service features using the filtered text content;
receiving indicia of the user-specified privacy policy; and
performing one or more service features based on the user-specified privacy policy.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the text-based communication service comprises a webmail service,
the step of performing one or more service features using the filtered text content comprising extracting user data from the filtered text content for the basis of user-focused advertising;
the step of performing one or more service features based on the user-specified privacy policy comprising pricing at least one aspect of the webmail service based on the user-specified privacy policy.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising the service platform receiving encrypted text content from the user platform;
the step of performing one or more service features based on the user-specified privacy policy comprising performing a security check based on the encrypted text content and the user-specified privacy policy to verify that the filtered text content received from the user platform corresponds to the original text content having been filtered according to the user-specified privacy policy.
18 . Apparatus for providing a text-based communication service, in accordance with a communication system including a user platform operably connected to a service platform, the apparatus at the service platform comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor operably coupled to the memory and configured to:
(a) receive filtered text content from the user platform, the filtered text content having been filtered from original text content according to a user-specified privacy policy;
(b) perform one or more service features using the filtered text content;
(c) receive indicia of the user-specified privacy policy; and
(d) perform one or more service features based on the user-specified privacy policy.
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the text-based communication service comprises a webmail service, wherein
the processor at part (b) is configured to extract user data from the filtered text content for the basis of user-focused advertising; and
the processor at part (d) is configured to price at least one aspect of the webmail service based on the user-specified privacy policy.
20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive encrypted text content from the user platform, and wherein
the processor at part (d) is configured to perform a security check based on the encrypted text content and the user-specified privacy policy to verify that the filtered text content received from the user platform corresponds to the original text content having been filtered according to the user-specified privacy policy.
21 . A method of providing a text-based communication service, in accordance with a communication system including a user platform operably connected to a service platform, the method comprising the service platform:
receiving, from the user platform, indicia of one or more user-selected privacy policy settings, defining a user-specified privacy policy;
pricing at least one aspect of the text-based communication service based on the user-specified privacy policy; and
executing the at least one aspect of the text-based communication service based on the user-specified privacy policy.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the step of executing comprises the service platform;
receiving text content from the user platform;
performing at least one service feature using the text content;
filtering the text content according to the user-specified privacy policy, yielding filtered text content; and
performing at least one service feature using the filtered text content.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the step of executing comprises the service platform;
receiving encrypted text content from the user platform;
performing at least one service feature using the encrypted text content;
receiving filtered text content from the user platform, the filtered text content having been filtered from original text content according to the user-specified privacy policy; and
performing at least one service feature using the filtered text content.