Method and system for enabling the creation and maintenance of proximity-related user groups

An apparatus for providing functionality based on virtual groups of users of mobile devices, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

• generate one or more virtual groups of users of mobile communication-capable devices, the generation of the one or more virtual groups including:
• determining one or more anchors, each anchor corresponding to a respective virtual group of the one or more virtual groups and having a geographical location;
• and
• for each virtual group, determining one or more admission criteria for a prospective user to join the virtual group;
• cause display of a visual location of a first prospective user on a graphical interface of a mobile communication-capable device of the first prospective user;
• prior to the first prospective user being admitted to the virtual group, cause display of visual locations of the one or more anchors on the graphical interface in an instance wherein one or more user attributes associated with the prospective user satisfies the one or more admission criteria such that the graphical interface of the mobile communication-capable device of the first prospective user visually depicts a relative location of the first prospective user with respect to the one or more anchors;
• and
• cause updating of the graphical interface of the mobile communication-capable device of the first prospective user at a later time to provide a change in the relative location of the first prospective user with respect to the one or more anchors in response to one or more movements of the one or more anchors or the mobile communication-capable device of the first prospective user.