US Patent 7716376 Synchronized video session with integrated participant generated commentary

Systems and methods enable users to exchange content, such as chat text, with other users that are consuming video media. In one implementation, several users collectively group together to form a video session. The users in the video session each consume the same video media, and the video media is played on individual user computer devices in a synchronized manner. The users send chat text or other content to one another over a network using a computer user interface. The chat text or other content is superimposed over or otherwise merged with the synchronized video running on the individual user computer devices.