Social network system and authentication method

An authentication method for a social network system, wherein the social network system comprises a host server that is configured to store a plurality of user profiles and associated profile pages of users of the social network system, and to provide a plurality of private social networks to the users of the social network system, wherein each private social network is private to a respective geographic location, and wherein the host server comprises an access controller configured to control access to the private social networks, the authentication method comprising:

• creating a user profile for a user and assigning a username and password to the user profile, the user profile comprising a location indicator for specifying a current location of the user;
• receiving a request for access to a one of the private social networks at the access controller, from a user device supplying the username and password;
• identifying the user profile from the username and password;
• and
• granting the user device full access rights to the one of the private social networks if the location indicator of the user profile indicates the user is at the geographic location of the one of the private social networks.