System and method for generating a ghost profile for a social network

A system for generating a ghost profile in a social network, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a ghost profile engine stored on a memory and executable by the one or more processors, the ghost profile engine configured to receive a request from a first member of the social network to invite a user to access the social network, to generate the ghost profile for the user, the ghost profile being unsearchable, and to assign a unique identifier to the ghost profile responsive to receiving a confirmation that the user selects a link contained in an invitation;
• an invitation engine coupled to the ghost profile engine and stored on the memory and executable by the one or more processors, the invitation engine configured to generate the invitation to the user that contains the link to the ghost profile;
• and
• a graphical user interface module coupled to the ghost profile engine and stored on the memory and executable by the one or more processors, the graphical user interface module configured to generate a first display of a portion of a username where at least one of the characters in the username is obfuscated so that the user's identity is recognizable by some of the members of the social network that know the user, in response to receiving a selection of the portion of the username by the first member of the social network, to generate a second display for communicating with the user for the first member, the second display being inaccessible to members of the social network that are unconnected to the user in the social network.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

• receive a request from a first member of a social network to invite a user to access the social network;
• generate the ghost profile for the user, the ghost profile being unsearchable;
• generate an invitation to the user that contains a link to the ghost profile;
• assign a unique identifier to the ghost profile responsive to receiving a confirmation that the user selects the link;
• generate a first display of a portion of a username where at least one of the characters in the username is obfuscated so that the user's identity is recognizable by some of the members of the social network that know the user;
• and
• in response to receiving a selection of the portion of the username by the first member of the social network, generate a second display for communicating with the user for the first member, the second display being inaccessible to members of the social network that are unconnected to the user in the social network.