Abstract: A robust approach is provided for joining a personal network and includes receiving, at a communication device, data that indicates a selected contact for a user of the communication device. In response to receiving the contact data that indicates the selected contact, automatically sending to the selected contact a request message that comprises first data and second data. The first data indicates a social networking service. The second data indicates a unique identifier for an invitation to join a personal network of the user within the social networking service.

Abstract: An approach is provided for monitoring a messaging service for arrival of a message at an apparatus. It is determined whether the message indicates an installed application that is installed on the apparatus and is different from the messaging service. If the message indicates the installed application, then removal is initiated of the message from a queue of received messages for the external messaging service and selecting one or more actions for the application based on the message.