Messenger application systems and methods

An information providing apparatus, comprising:

• circuitry configured to
• receive, via a communication network, a request from a first user of a first client device to begin a chat session with a second user;
• when the requested chat session is designated as a secret chat,
• receive, via the communication network, first user data encrypted using a first key for encrypting data to be decrypted by a second client device associated with the second user, the first key not being transmitted over the communication network,
• send the first user data encrypted using the first key to the second client device, the first user data not being stored by the circuitry,
• receive, via the communication network, second user data encrypted using a second key for encrypting data to be decrypted by the first client device, the second key not being transmitted over the communication network, and
• send the second user data encrypted using the second key to the first client device, the second user data not being stored by the circuitry;
• and
• when the requested chat session is not designated as the secret chat,
• receive, via the communication network, the first user data encrypted using a third key,
• decrypt the first user data encrypted using the third key,
• store a copy of the decrypted first user data for subsequent access by the first or second user,
• encrypt the decrypted first user data using a fourth key,
• send the first user data encrypted using the fourth key to the second client device;
• receive, via the communication network, the second user data encrypted using the fourth key,
• decrypt the second user data encrypted using the fourth key,
• store a copy of the decrypted second user data for subsequent access by the first or second user,
• encrypt the decrypted second user data using the fourth key, and
• send the second user data encrypted using the fourth key to the first client device.

A method of an information providing apparatus for providing a chat session, the method comprising:

• receiving, at the information providing apparatus via a communication network, a request from a first user of a first client device to begin the chat session with a second user;
• when the requested chat session is designated as a secret chat,
• receiving, via the communication network, first user data encrypted using a first key for encrypting data to be decrypted by a second client device associated with the second user, the first key not being transmitted over the communication network,
• sending the first user data encrypted using the first key to the second client device, the first user data not being stored by circuitry of the information providing apparatus,
• receiving, via the communication network, second user data encrypted using a second key for encrypting data to be decrypted by the first client device, the second key not being transmitted over the communication network, and
• sending the second user data encrypted using the second key to the first client device, the second user data not being stored by the circuitry of the information providing apparatus;
• and
• when the requested chat session is not designated as the secret chat,
• receiving, via the communication network, the first user data encrypted using a third key,
• decrypting the first user data encrypted using the third key,
• storing a copy of the decrypted first user data for subsequent access by the first or second user,
• encrypting the decrypted first user data using a fourth key,
• sending the first user data encrypted using the fourth key to the second client device;
• receiving, via the communication network, the second user data encrypted using the fourth key,
• decrypting the second user data encrypted using the fourth key,
• storing a copy of the decrypted second user data for subsequent access by the first or second user,
• encrypting the decrypted second user data using the fourth key, and
• sending the second user data encrypted using the fourth key to the first client device.