REGULATING SELF-DISCLOSURE AND HOST BASED VIDEO CLIPS AND TRANSPORT MECHANISM

摘要

Regulating a level of self-disclosure in an instant messaging communications session includes enabling user selection on a first instant messaging participant system of an instant messaging communications mode from at least a first available mode and a second available mode. The first available mode discloses a different amount of information about a first instant messaging participant than the second available mode. Creation of a message clip is enabled on the first instant messaging participant system according to the selected communications mode and delivery of the message clip is enabled from the first instant messaging participant system to a second instant messaging participant system. Perception of video clip is enabled in an instant messaging communications session by storing on a host system one or more video clips, receiving the request at the host system for a selected video clip to be delivered to an instant messaging participant system, accessing the selected video clip stored at the host system, and communicating the selected video clip from the host system to the instant messaging participant system for rendering in an instant messaging application running on the instant messaging participant system.