Abstract: A computer-implemented method for providing item recommendations. The method comprises generating a plurality of user groups by a system module and associating each user group with a group identifier; providing the group identifiers to a plurality of user modules for facilitating selection by respective users; selecting at least one group identifier by the respective users indicative of the one or more groups that users desire to be associated with; supplying by the users item preferences using the selected group identifier thereby concealing identities of the users when supplying item preferences; communicating the supplied item preferences with associated selected group identifiers to the system module; and generating a preference matrix by modelling the supplied item preferences and item characteristics.