Abstract: A social identity system has a collection of physical objects displayed under control of a specific enterprise, a data repository storing, as a virtual object, at least a name and a description of each physical object in the collection, each virtual object associated with a unique Social Identity of Objects (SIO) code, a broad variety of digital information, entered as digital files by registered members, each instance associated with a unique SIO code, and associated by SIO codes, with physical objects in the collection. A portion of the information defined by association with one of the physical objects comprises one or more of history, stories and opinions associated by SIO codes with the members contributing, the changing collection of information over time defining an evolving social identity of the particular one of the physical objects in the collection of physical objects.

Abstract: A system enabling a registered user of an SIO database to instantiate and edit characteristics of objects has an SIO base module adapted to interact with the user in instantiating and editing objects, an SIO search module, an SIO input module, an SIO database, and an SIO template database. The base module enables the user to conduct a search of the SIO database with the search module and guides the user in instantiating and editing characteristics of objects.

Abstract: A system for structured data collection for descriptions of objects in a social identity of objects (SIO) database has an SIO database, an SIO template database, an SIO input module, and at least one third party database. Characteristics of objects are identified, an input template is selected based on the object characteristics, search queries are constructed from the input template, and data for the SIO is retrieved from the third-party database.