Patent ID: 8103729

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: maintaining, for a founding instant messaging identity, a group of instant messaging participants that has a membership that includes at least one instant messaging participant not explicitly selected for inclusion in the group by the founding instant messaging identity, the group being founded by the founding instant messaging identity; causing a display, to the founding instant messaging identity, of an instant messaging participant list that is configured to reflect online presence information for other instant messaging identities included in the instant messaging participant list and that is configured to enable the founding instant messaging identity to initiate instant messaging sessions with the other instant messaging identities included in the instant messaging participant list, the displayed instant messaging participant list including a representation of the group of instant messaging participants that reflects the membership of the group of instant messaging participants; receiving a request, from a member of the group of instant messaging participants other than the founding instant messaging identity, to invite a new instant messaging participant to join the group of instant messaging participants, or to remove an old instant messaging participant from the group of instant messaging participants; as a consequence of receiving the request to invite the new instant messaging participant to join the group of instant messaging participants, automatically transmitting an electronic invitation to join the group of instant messaging participants to the new instant messaging participant, the electronic invitation being transmitted in the form of a hyperlink contained in an electronic message; upon acceptance of the invitation by the new instant messaging participant, determining that a change, which was not inspired by the founding instant messaging identity, in the membership of the group of instant messaging participants has occurred; and automatically triggering, without involvement from the founding instant messaging identity, an updating of the displayed instant messaging participant list to reflect the change in the membership of the group of instant messaging participants; wherein the founding instant messaging identity is the only member authorized to delete the group of instant messaging participants.