It is known that social networking websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkIn, Google+, etc.) typically store user data objects on storage systems dedicated to their particular websites. That is, application programs written for and that run on a particular social networking website access data using dedicated application programming interfaces that are written for a specific social networking website storage system. Thus, it can be problematic when a user wishes to access one of his/her data objects stored on a first social networking website from a second social networking website. Typically, this involves the second social networking website requesting access to the data object from the first social networking website. Such data access requests are known to raise authentication issues.
Also, existing social networking websites are known to provide a user issuing a user discovery command with a list of other users of the website, which can also lead to access by the requesting user of data stored on behalf of these other users.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds