A method for searching a database that includes private social network data includes providing one or more databases including a plurality of database entries, a first portion of the database entries including private social network data and a second portion including non-social network data that is publicly accessible on the World Wide Web. The method further includes receiving a keyword search request from a search request user and searching the one or more databases or a keyword index thereof using one or more keywords and determining a hierarchy for search result items. The method also includes displaying at least a portion of search results items according to the hierarchy. And, determining whether the user has access rights to a particular subset of the private social network data and wherein if the user has access rights to the particular subset of private social network data, using at least a portion of the particular subset of social network data in the step of (i) searching the one or more databases, (ii) determining the hierarchy, and/or (iii) displaying the search result items.