The present application provides an instant messaging-based method and means for processing information. The method comprises: receiving a group add request, said group add request being for requesting the addition of a first user to a first group; assessing whether the first user needs to be added to the first group with a specific status; if the assessment result is yes, then subjecting the group information of the first group to screening in accordance with the group permissions corresponding to the specific status in order to obtain screened group information and issuing the screened group information to the instant messaging client of the first user. The present application can solve information security problems while meeting instant messaging needs.