Centralized Advertising Opt-Out Using Hashed User Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack an efficient and centralized method for users to opt-out of tailored advertising across multiple platforms, as they rely on decentralized and uncoordinated opt-out processes that are vulnerable to privacy breaches and replay attacks.
Innovation Solution
A centralized opt-out service allows users to register with a service provider, enabling them to opt-out of tailored advertising by hashing their contact information and sending encrypted verification links to endpoints, which are verified and processed to ensure secure and coordinated opt-out across multiple merchants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If decentralized opt-out processes are used across multiple platforms, then each platform can independently manage its own opt-out mechanism, but users must manually opt-out on each platform separately and the system becomes vulnerable to privacy breaches and replay attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple decentralized opt-out mechanisms into a single centralized opt-out service. Users register once with the service provider, and the service provider coordinates with multiple endpoints (merchants/platforms) to implement opt-out across all platforms simultaneously. This merging approach eliminates the need for users to manually opt-out on each platform separately while maintaining comprehensive opt-out coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The service provider acts as an intermediary between users and multiple endpoints. The service provider receives opt-out requests from users, generates hashed representations of user contact information, and transmits these to appropriate endpoints for processing. This intermediary role simplifies the opt-out process for users while ensuring coordinated implementation across multiple platforms.
2Productivity
If user contact information is transmitted to multiple endpoints for opt-out processing, then opt-out can be implemented across multiple platforms, but the system becomes vulnerable to privacy breaches and replay attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms user contact information into hashed representations before transmission to endpoints. This parameter change (from plaintext to hashed format) maintains the ability to match and process opt-out requests while significantly enhancing privacy security. The hashing algorithm selected by each endpoint ensures that user contact information cannot be easily reversed or compromised.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary protective measures by hashing user contact information before transmission and using encrypted verification links. These preliminary actions prevent potential privacy breaches and replay attacks before they can occur, ensuring security is built into the system architecture rather than added as an afterthought.
3Ease of operation
If a centralized opt-out service is implemented, then users can opt-out across multiple platforms through a single interface, but the system requires coordination between the service provider and multiple endpoints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary registration of endpoints with the service provider before the opt-out process begins. Endpoints register their contact information and select hashing algorithms in advance. This preliminary action simplifies the actual opt-out process for users, as the coordination infrastructure is already in place and configured.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where endpoints send acknowledgments to the service provider confirming successful processing of opt-out requests. The service provider uses this feedback to notify users of the opt-out status. This feedback loop ensures reliable coordination between the service provider and multiple endpoints while maintaining ease of operation for users.
Data Source
AI summary
Opt-out systems and methods for tailored advertising are disclosed herein. An example method includes registering an endpoint with a service provider hosting an opt-out service that allows users to opt-out of tailored advertising from the endpoint, receiving a first request from a user including an email address, generating a hashed representation of the email address according to a hashing algorithm selected for the endpoint, transmitting a second request to the endpoint, the second request including the hashed representation of the email address, and receiving an acknowledgment that the endpoint has processed the second request. When the second request is processed the user does not receive the tailored advertising from the endpoint.