Social Network of Identities and Query Method Therefor

The method of gathering information within a social network of identities in which people or other identities have social relationships with one another, such as personal or business relationships, and each person has an identity account ( 101 ) containing information about that person. The identity accounts reside on identity servers ( 150 A, 150 B, 150 N) connected by way of a computer network ( 110 A, 110 B, 110 N). Information, such as address and telephone information, is held in each person's identity account ( 101 ). The identity accounts ( 101 ) can be queried based on the social relationships to find information. One person can query a second person's contact information. The second person can then query others known to that second person for the information. Electronic contracts embody agreements between the people in the social network, specify the terms and conditions for using data in the identity accounts, and can limit the information returned to the person making the query.