Patent ID: 8677254

Claim:
A method of discerning and displaying information regarding a relationship between at least two avatars in a virtual universe environment, the method comprising: determining whether a first avatar and a second avatar have at least one relationship with one or more common avatars in response to an indication of the first avatar initiating an interaction within the virtual universe with the second avatar, wherein the at least one relationship comprises: a common acquaintance comprising at least a third avatar distinct from the first avatar and the second avatar, and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar based on at least one prior interaction within the virtual world between the third avatar and one of the first or the second avatar, wherein the level of trust is set by the one of the first or the second avatar; in the case that the first and second avatars have at least one relationship with at least the third avatar, displaying, within the virtual universe, information regarding the at least one relationship with the third avatar to at least one of the first and second avatar, the displaying including displaying, within the virtual universe, an indication of a third avatar and a level of trust corresponding to the third avatar, wherein the indication of a level of trust includes an indicia affirming that the third avatar is not trusted or an indicia confirming that the third avatar is trusted; and determining if the third avatar is currently online in the virtual universe.