Customizing third-party content using beacons on online social networks

• Main Authors: Lebeau, Michael James, Modi, Manish, Murillo, Arlene Gabriana, Kalinowski, Caitlin E, Barillari, Joseph David, Niewczas, Mateusz Marek, Lessin, Samuel Wharton, Shimoni, Amir
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.02.2018
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; PHYSICS; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

In one embodiment, a method includes sending, via a beacon of a third-party content provider (e.g., a business), a request to associate with a user's mobile device. The request may be sent when the mobile device is proximate to the beacon, which may be located within a place of business. The request may include an attribute of the business (e.g., the type of business). A wireless communication session may be established between the beacon and the mobile device, and, in response, social-networking information of the user may be received, via the beacon. The particular information sent may be tailored to the business based on the received attribute, and a set of user-specified permissions may delimit what information is sent and to whom the information is sent. Third-party content may be customized based on the received social- networking information and sent to the mobile device for display.