1. A method comprising: receiving a request from a user of a social networking system to create a limited user profile for an additional user that does not satisfy one or more criteria for maintaining a user profile via the social networking system; identifying one or more permissions associated with the limited user profile for the additional user by the user, the identified one or more permissions specifying fewer permissions than associated with a user profile maintained by the social networking system; determining one or more privacy settings associated with the limited user profile for the additional user by the user, a privacy setting associated with a type of interaction with the limited user profile and identifying a user capable of authorizing the type of interaction with the limited user profile; generating the limited user profile for the additional user based at least in part on information included in the request, the identified one or more permissions, and the determined one or more privacy settings; and storing the limited user profile for the additional user and a connection between the limited user profile for the additional user and the user.