Patent attributes
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatically connecting individuals. A private profile of an individual may be automatically generated. The private profile of the individual may be automatically compared with private profiles of a set of individuals such that one or more of the set of individuals are identified as matches for the individual, wherein the private profile of the individual includes private data and each of the private profiles of the set of individuals includes private data. The private profile of the individual is not publicly available to other individuals that have access to a public profile of the individual. The individual may be automatically notified that the individual has been matched with the one or more individuals, thereby enabling the individual to initiate communication with the one or more individuals. The similarities between the private profile of the individual and the private profiles of the one or more individuals are not revealed to the individual or the one or more individuals.