Patent attributes
Techniques are described for participant selection and abuse prevention in paced, synchronous interactive sessions that include, in some embodiments, live video communications. In an embodiment a process for participant selection to prevent abuse can include receiving a request to initiate an interactive session that includes a participant selection criterion. The request is received at a computer system operating as part of a platform for facilitating paced, synchronous interactive sessions and may be based on inputs received from a host user (e.g. a celebrity at a host user device. The receiving computer system can then apply the received participant selection criterion to select a participant from the multiple participants connected to the interactive session. This selected participant is then allowed to broadcast a media stream (e.g. including live or pre-recorded video) that is viewable by the host and the other participants. In some embodiments, the participant selection criterion can include, pre-filtering, pre-selection, pre-recording, geo-targeting, and/or blacklisting.