9. An apparatus for displaying graphical screen names to prevent an automated process from scraping the displayed text information in a real-time, text-based instant messaging service, comprising: a mechanism for taking each logged-in user's text screen name; and a mechanism for using said screen name to automatically, and without user intervention, generate a graphic that can only be read by a human but cannot be screen-scraped by an automated process; and a mechanism for displaying only the graphic on the communication screen instead of a text form of said user's screen name whenever and wherever the user's screen name is displayed, thereby preventing screen scrapers from extracting user screen names.
9. An apparatus for displaying graphical screen names to prevent an automated process from scraping the displayed text information in a real-time, text-based instant messaging service, comprising: a mechanism for taking each logged-in user's text screen name; and a mechanism for using said screen name to automatically, and without user intervention, generate a graphic that can only be read by a human but cannot be screen-scraped by an automated process; and a mechanism for displaying only the graphic on the communication screen instead of a text form of said user's screen name whenever and wherever the user's screen name is displayed, thereby preventing screen scrapers from extracting user screen names. 14. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising: a graphics recognition system for avoiding ordinarily confusing visual situations.