Using automated agents to facilitate chat communications

A method, performed at least partially on a computer, for facilitating on-line communication among multiple instant messaging identities, the method comprising:

• detecting presence of a target instant messaging identity in a chat room that is accessible over a network of computers to instant messaging identities and who desires interaction with other instant messaging identities who are presently on-line in the chat room;
• presenting questions to the target instant messaging identity, at least one of the questions including selectable responses associated with the question;
• receiving, from the target instant messaging identity, responses to the questions;
• accessing, from computer-accessible memory, stored responses to the questions, at least one of the stored response having been received from another instant messaging identity and being associated with the other instant messaging identity who provided the response;
• comparing responses received from the target instant messaging identity to the accessed stored responses;
• identifying, based at least in part on results of the comparison, a group of less than all of instant messaging identities who are currently on-line;
• and
• using an instant messaging identity representing an instant messaging robot to introduce the identified group of instant messaging identities who are currently on-line to the target instant messaging identity and to introduce the target instant messaging identity to the identified group of instant messaging identities who are currently on-line.

A system for facilitating on-line communication among multiple instant messaging identities, the system comprising:

• one or more processing devices;
• and
• one or more storage devices, the storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform the following operations”
• detect presence of a target instant messaging identity in a chat room that is accessible over a network of computers to instant messaging identities and who desires interaction with other instant messaging identities who are presently on-line in the chat room;
• present questions to the target instant messaging identity, at least one of the questions including selectable responses associated with the question;
• receive, from the target instant messaging identity, responses to the questions;
• access, from computer-accessible memory, stored responses to the questions, at least one of the stored response having been received from another instant messaging identity and being associated with the other instant messaging identity who provided the response;
• compare responses received from the target instant messaging identity to the accessed stored responses;
• identify, based at least in part on results of the comparison, a group of less than all of instant messaging identities who are currently on-line;
• and
• use an instant messaging identity representing an instant messaging robot to introduce the identified group of instant messaging identities who are currently on-line to the target instant messaging identity and to introduce the target instant messaging identity to the identified group of instant messaging identities who are currently on-line.