A system and method for a user to send presence information to authorized contacts in her device's address book and to receive the presence information of those contacts in her device's address book that have authorized her. A user can authorize any contact in her address book. Optionally, a user can only authorize a contact and be authorized by a contact if she is in that contact's address book. A local application on the device interacts with and displays the device's address book, manages the authorization of contacts, updates the user's presence, and receives and displays the presence of contacts. The local application updates the user's presence manually, semi-automatically, or automatically. Semi-automatic updates involve synchronizing with the device's calendar. Automatic updates may involve the use of location data, the device's built-in sensors, and augmented reality.