Patent ID: 8108528

Claim:
A method for verifying the identity of an instant messaging session participant, comprising: providing a user interface object enabling a first instant messaging session participant to issue an authentication challenge command, said authentication challenge command including an identifier of a second instant messaging session participant to be authenticated; generating, responsive to receipt of said authentication challenge command, a participant verification user interface object within a graphical user interface of said second instant messaging session participant; receiving, through said participant verification user interface object, authentication credentials for said second instant messaging session participant; generating an authentication status for said second instant messaging session participant in response to said authentication credentials for said second instant messaging session participant; and automatically disabling an instant messaging session for said second instant messaging participant in responsive to said authentication status indicating a failure to authenticate said second instant messaging session participant, wherein said disabling prevents said second instant messaging participant from adding further messages to said instant messaging session and includes obscuring at least a transcript display area associated with said instant messaging session within said graphical user interface of said second instant messaging session participant.