Patent ID: RE45254

Claim:
A method comprising: logging , by a server, a first client device into a the server; logging , by the server, a second client device into the server; accessing, using by the server, a first user list associated with a first user of the first client device; accessing, using by the server, a second user list associated with a second user of the second client device , wherein the first user list and the second user list are maintained separately from one another ; analyzing, using by the server, the accessed first user list to determine whether an identifier of the second user is included in the first user list; analyzing, using by the server, the accessed second user list to determine whether an identifier of the first user is included in the second user list; and regulating, using by the server, a communications pathway communications between the first client device and the second client device based on both the determination of whether the identifier of the first user is included on the second user list and the determination of whether the identifier of the second user is included on the first user list.