Patent ID: 8024431

Claim:
A method comprising: identifying, for a first user, a second user that is associated with a location within a proximate area of the first user as a transient friend of the first user in a social network of the first user; adding the second user as a transient friend of the first user; and after adding the second user as a transient friend of the first user, monitoring the second user such that a status of the second user as a transient friend of the first user is based upon whether the second user continues to be associated with a location within the proximate area of the first user; wherein monitoring the second user comprises: determining that the second user is no longer associated with a location within the proximate area of the first user; waiting at least an amount of time defined by a proximity exit delay after determining that the second user is no longer associated with a location within the proximate area of the first user; after waiting the at least an amount of time defined by the proximity exit delay, determining whether the second user is associated with a location outside the proximate area of the first user; and if a determination is made that the second user is associated with a location outside the proximate area of the first user after waiting the at least an amount of time defined by the proximity exit delay, removing the second user as a transient friend of the first user.