Patent ID: 8478728

Claim:
A method for sharing information in an online dating computer system, the method comprising: receiving first dater registration information with an online dating computer system; creating a first dater profile with the first dater registration information; storing the first dater profile in a database; a matching engine generating a plurality of prospects for the first dater which match the first dater profile, each of the plurality of prospects having a corresponding second dater profile stored in the database; sending messages for inviting one or more supporters to a private dater support group; creating the private dater support group in memory; receiving one or more requests originating from the private dater support group to access at least a portion of information stored in the plurality of second dater profiles associated with the prospects matching the first dater profile; granting access, in response to the one or more requests, to at least a portion of information stored in the plurality of second dater profiles associated with the prospects matching the first dater profile; displaying a list of second dater profiles associated with the prospects matching the first dater profile; receiving a selection for one of the second dater profiles from a member in the private dater support; displaying the selected second dater profile, the second dater profile comprising a photograph of a person, a field for receiving a comment about the selected dater profile, and a selectable ranking component that enables the supporter to submit a ranking of the selected second dater profile, the ranking comprising a value corresponding to how strong a member believes the selected second dater profile matches the first dater profile; receiving information from one or more members of the private dater support group about at least one of the prospects; and generating a message for presenting the received information on a display device, the received information comprises at least one of a rating for, or a comment about, at least one of the prospects, the received information being restricted from the plurality of prospects while being available to the first dater and all of the supporters.