Method and apparatus for establishing chat group

A server of a social network platform, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, from a first client terminal that corresponds to a first user on the social network platform, a request for establishing a chat group, the request including a geographic position of the first client terminal, an identifier of the first user and authentication information chosen by the first user, without receiving an identifier of an existing social network contact of the first user on the social networking platform;
• in response to receiving the request to establish the chat group:
• initiating a process to establish a first chat group including the first user, including:
• creating a respective group chat entry for the first chat group, the group chat entry having group-specific information associated with the first chat group;
• and
• monitoring incoming requests for additional users to join the first chat group;
• while monitoring the incoming requests for additional users to join the first chat group, detecting a request from a second client terminal corresponding to a second user of the social network platform to obtain information of other client terminals located around the second client terminal;
• in accordance with the request from the second client terminal and in accordance with a determination that the second client terminal is located within a preset distance of the geographic position of the first client terminal, sending a request to the second client terminal to enter authentication information corresponding to the first chat group, the request including the group-specific information of the first chat group;
• receiving the authentication information from the second client terminal, wherein the authentication information is shared by the first use with the second user independently of the server of the social network platform;
• and
• in accordance with a determination that the authentication information is correct, establishing the first chat group including the first user and the second user.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

• at a server of a social networking platform:
• receiving, from a first client terminal that corresponds to a first user on the social network platform, a request for establishing a chat group, the request including a geographic position of the first client terminal, an identifier of the first user and authentication information chosen by the first user, without receiving an identifier of an existing social network contact of the first user on the social networking platform;
• in response to receiving the request to establish the chat group:
• initiating a process to establish a first chat group including the first user, including:
• creating a respective group chat entry for the first chat group, the group chat entry having group-specific information associated with the first chat group;
• and
• monitoring incoming requests for additional users to join the first chat group;
• while monitoring the incoming requests for additional users to join the first chat group, detecting a request from a second client terminal corresponding to a second user of the social network platform to obtain information of other client terminals located around the second client terminal;
• in accordance with the request from the second client terminal and in accordance with a determination that the second client terminal is located within a preset distance of the geographic position of the first client terminal, sending a request to the second client terminal to enter authentication information corresponding to the first chat group, the request including the group-specific information of the first chat group;
• receiving the authentication information from the second client terminal, wherein the authentication information is shared by the first user with the second user independently of the server of the social network platform;
• and
• in accordance with a determination that the authentication information is correct, establishing the first chat group including the first user and the second user.