Patent ID: 8751575

Claim:
A method for generating a ghost profile in a social network, the method comprising: receiving a request from a first member of the social network to invite a user to access the social network; generating the ghost profile for the user, the ghost profile being unsearchable; generating an invitation to the user that contains a link to the ghost profile; assigning a unique identifier to the ghost profile responsive to receiving a confirmation that the user selects the link; generating a first display of a portion of a username where at least one of the characters in the username is obfuscated so that the user's identity is recognizable by some of the members of the social network that know the user; and in response to receiving a selection of the portion of the username by the first member of the social network, generating a second display for communicating with the user for the first member, the second display being inaccessible to members of the social network that are unconnected to the user in the social network.