System and Method for Holistically Reviewing and Analyzing Social Media Data Exports

Aaron Vick filed a provisional patent after creating a streamlined approach to ECA of social media exports within the legal ediscovery vertical.

The filing is below:

System and Method for Holistically Reviewing and Analyzing Social Media Data Exports

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to data analysis and social media applications. More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method for reviewing and analyzing social media data exports to extract desired information from one or more social media feeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method for reviewing, analyzing, searching, reporting, and exporting multiple items from social media. The present invention is preferably aimed for legal services, such as assisting law firms with responding to discovery requests relating to social media. However, the present invention can be used by anyone who wants to import, search, scan, and analyze their social media streams combined into one area for various purposes.

Courts across the United States have concluded that the use of the built-in archive tools provided by social media companies is an appropriate methodology for plaintiffs to meet their discovery obligations. For example, the Rhone v. Schneider Nat’l Carriers, Inc., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 53346 at *7-9 (E.D. Mo. Apr. 21, 2016) recognizes that the “Download Your Info” report from Facebook constitutes a “broad disclosure” and may be more expansive than necessary in some circumstances. Further, Baxter v. Anderson, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 110687 at *12 (M.D. La. Aug. 18, 2016) required the Plaintiff to download all historical data available from her Social Networking Website accounts to review for responsive information required to be produced pursuant to the order, and noted that the ‘Download your data’ function on Facebook can be used as one example of a way to effectuate the order.

The method of the present invention begins with obtaining the comprehensive backup or export from the user’s social media accounts. These export files are placed into a social media search platform which allows authorized users to see the user’s entire social media history in one area. The compilation of the social media accounts greatly increases the speed at which all agreed upon terms may be applied at once, minimizes errors or missed terms, and extends the capabilities for such complex items as wildcards. By specifying a repeatable and consistent methodology for collection of social media content, the plaintiffs’ approach goes beyond what has been required in other litigations. Additional features and benefits of the present invention are further discussed in the sections below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

15 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall method of social media data exporting by the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the account data compilation into the search platform of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an illustration showing the major components of the search platform of the

20 present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the overall method of searching specific social media data on the search platform of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an illustration showing an embodiment of the user interface of the search platform of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention provides systems and methods for holistically reviewing and analyzing social media data exports. The systems and methods of the present invention enables users to access and compile the complete account data from their social media accounts to find desired information in a single platform. In the preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises an import engine, a search platform, and a report engine. The import engine enables the extraction of social media data from multiple social media networks through various methods. The search platform provides users the tools to search the desired information from the one or more social media networks in one place. The report engine provides various options to view the search results, exported the results for viewing in external applications, or generate one or more reports based on the search results.

The aforementioned components enable users to search through multiple social media accounts to find desired information that might have been posted or shared through the social media accounts. As can be seen in FIG. 1-2, the present invention enable users to access the account data from one or more social media networks using the import engine. The import engine can communicate with the one or more social media networks to import the data from one or more accounts belonging to the one or more users of interest. The import engine further enables the submission of export files from the one or more social media networks to gain access to the account data from the one or more social media networks. As can be seen in FIG. 1-2, the authorized users access the social media accounts of interest and export the account data to the search platform using the import engine. The authorized users can be the owner or owners of the social media accounts or secondary users given the authorization to access the social media accounts, such as legal representatives or law enforcement. As can be seen in FIG. 1-2, the import engine processes the imported data from the one or more social media accounts to have the data ready for the search engine. The process can include, but is not limited to, different methodologies to collect and manipulate data so the data can be used by the search engine. In alternate embodiments, the import engine can utilize different methods to access the account data from social media networks.

Once the imported data has been processed, the authorized users can browse the account data from the one or more social media accounts through the search platform. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the search platform provides a user interface for the authorized users to perform searches or browse through the collected one or more social media accounts feed history. In the preferred embodiment, the search engine provides the authorized users multiple search tools that facilitate the search for desired information.

The plurality of search tools of the search engine include, but is not limited to, search filters, date range, etc. As can be seen in FIG. 3-5, the authorized users select the preferred filters and submit the query to generate search results. The search engine will perform the search through the account data from the one or more social media accounts imported and outputs results based on the search inputs. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the user interface provides the search results in an organized manner that is easy to browse and review. The search results can be provided as a list that can be arranged based on different factors. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the search engine provides the search results with enough information to identify each result. For example, the user interface will display the type of post (i.e. text post, image post, comment, like, etc.), the post date, the social media network where the post occurred, etc. Further, the search engine enables the authorized users to tag the different posts or individually download the desired post. In alternate embodiments, the search engine can provide other features or tools that give more freedom to the authorized users to browse the search results.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the user interface further provides a work area where the 20 user can choose different functions, such as a filters function, a viewer function, and an exports function. The filters function provides a list of filters available that can be used

with the different social media networks. The filters provided can be different for the individual social media network or can be shared filters that can be used across the different social media networks. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the viewer function is provided on the same work area as the filters function where the authorized users can look at one or more selected posts. The viewer function can enable the user to examine a single post or multiple posts. Further, the authorized users are given the option to examine the metadata of the one or more selected posts. The viewer function can provide additional tools to help the authorized users to examine one or more tools. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the export function can be also provided on the same work area as the filters function and the viewer function. In alternate embodiments, the present invention can provide additional functions that enable users to examine the posts from the one or more social media networks.

In the preferred embodiment, the export function is part of the report engine of the present invention. As can be seen in FIG. 3-5, the report engine enables authorized users to export customized social media account data or to create one or more reports based on the search results. The report engine provides various functions which enable the authorized users to create one or more reports based on the user’s needs. For example, the report engine can include various functions such as selecting which posts to be included on the report based on search filters or tags, highlight desired information, include selected media posts, etc. The report engine can further provide report templates or enable the user to fully customize the reports. Furthermore, the report engine can enable users to export the selected data in different formats for viewing or editing in external software applications. In alternate embodiments, the present invention can provide other methods of file exporting for the authorized users to export selected data or to create one or more reports. In addition, the present invention can be modified to accommodate specific requirements or protocols.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.