March 30, 2012 12:36 am EDT

Google patent app details method for generating a 'ghost profile,' a world of anonymous G+ users

Google hasn't exactly had the easiest time keeping the privacy hawks off of its back, but if a recently published patent application is any indication of its future intentions, well... let's just say we could see a lot more people hiding behind an online veil. Made public today, Google's most recent patent app details a "system and method for generating a ghost profile for a social network," which would -- in theory, at least -- allow a user to use certain features in a social network without converting to a social network profile. For those curious, the ghostly profiles would be unsearchable, and comments that originated from said profiles would be shown as being from "partial names." The real question: are G+ ghosts allowed in the Facebook compound?

Google patent app details method for generating a 'ghost profile,' a world of anonymous G+ users originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original Link: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/google-patent-application-google-plus-ghost-profile/

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