The increase of mobile device use for social interaction drives the proliferation of online social applications. However, it prompts a series of security and existence problems. Some common problems are the authenticity of social contacts, the privacy of online communication, and the lack of physical interaction. This work presents mobile private matchmaking protocols that allow users to privately and immediately search the targets which match their planning purposes via mobile devices and wireless network. Based on social networks, the relationships of targets can be unlimited or limited to friends or friends of friends. It considers the privacy of users and the authenticity of friendships. The privacy means that no private information, except chosen targets, is leaked and the authenticity that signifies no forgery relationships can be successfully claimed. It applies to many applications such as searching for a person to talk to, to dine with, to play games with, or to see a movie with. The proposed scheme is demonstrated to be secure, effective, and efficient. The implementation of the proposed algorithms on Android system mobile devices allows users to securely find their target via mobile phones.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.