SELF-POLICING, RATE LIMITING ONLINE FORUMS

摘要

A method and means for self-policing and automatically rate-limiting multipl e- user online forums. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a set of rules that permit users to censure other users. A censured user has one o r more "privileges" (which may include access to the online computer system or the effective message rate of a communications connection) taken away or diminished; the privilege is gradually restored if the censure user behaves. The censuring participant and other pertinent participants are notified of t he effect of the censuring on the censured user. In another aspect of the invention, the online computer system automatically tracks the rate at which a user sends certain types of messages, and can message rate limit a user who uses too many system resources by sending a large number of messages in rapi d succession.