Finding people using social networks

摘要

Embodiments are described for assisting a first person in finding a second person using a social network. A person may send a request to a server that identifies that person, the person he or she is looking for, and the requestor's location. The server may then traverse that person's social network to identify someone who is in a similar location and who knows the person being sought. The server may send an identification of this person who knows the person being sought to the requestor. Various privacy mechanisms are also disclosed, including anonymizing identifying information, and encrypting communications.

主权项

1. A system for assisting a requesting person in finding a target person using social networks, comprising:
a memory bearing instructions that, upon execution by a processor, cause the system to at least: receive an identification associated with the requesting person, an identification associated with the target person, and a location of the requesting person; determine a social network of the requesting person based on the identification of the requesting person, the social network comprising information from at least one social network service; determine an identifier associated with a connecting person in the social network of the requesting person who is likely to connect the social network of the requesting person with a social network of the target person, and who has a last-known location within a predetermined distance from the location of the requesting person, wherein the requesting person and connecting person have a number of degrees of separation and a type of relationship; determine that the connecting person has opted-in to sharing information about his or her identity, social network, or location with people of at least as many degrees of separation as the number of degrees of separation for the type of relationship that the requesting person and connecting person have; and send an identifier associated with the connecting person, or a response based on a response from a computer of the connecting person, or a possible location of the target person to a computer of the requesting person.