System and method for providing a proxy identifier in an on-line directory

A method for providing a proxy identifier in an on-line directory, the method comprising:

• obtaining a request for an email address, wherein the request includes one or more attributes for identifying the email address;
• obtaining at least one record associated with the one or more attributes from a listing database;
• and
• automatically displaying a selectable proxy address corresponding to the at least one record;
• wherein the selectable proxy address enables a sender to send an email communication without knowing an actual email address;
• and
• wherein the automatic display of the selectable proxy address is performed without participation by a party associated with the email address and without determining a privacy setting for any matching records.

An on-line directory service comprising:

• (a) a database of information including actual email addresses;
• (b) a processing system that receives a user request for a party's actual email address and in response, determines the actual email address from the database;
• upon finding the actual email address, the processing automatically provides the user with a selectable proxy email address and not the actual email address;
• the proxy address being provided without having been requested by the party and without requiring the processing system to determine whether the party prefers to have a proxy email address displayed;
• wherein selection of the proxy email address enables the user to send an email message to the party without knowing the party's actual email address.