Privacy-Aware Messaging Channel Using Biometric Proxy Identifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital communication channels like email, text messaging, and instant messaging lack privacy and security, with users' identities often exposed through non-privacy-aware identifiers, and there is no robust mechanism to control who can send messages, leading to spam and phishing issues.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using anonymized biometric hashes as identifiers and proxy communication addresses, along with cryptographic key-value pairs, to facilitate secure and privacy-aware communication between business entities and individuals, ensuring only legitimate messages are exchanged.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard email addresses or phone numbers are used as user identifiers, then communication functionality is achieved, but user privacy is compromised and identity exposure occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that acts as a mediator between users and communication platforms. This intermediary manages anonymous identifiers and mapping relationships, allowing users to communicate without exposing their real identity. The intermediary layer protects user privacy while maintaining communication functionality by decoupling the actual identity from the communication identifier.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates anonymous copies or proxies of user identifiers that can be used in communication without revealing the true identity. These anonymous identifiers serve as substitutes that maintain communication functionality while protecting the original identity information from exposure to platforms and other users.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional communication protocols are used, then interoperability between email, text messaging, and instant messaging is achieved, but spam and phishing attacks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and permission establishment before communication channels are opened. Users pre-configure which channels and contacts are permitted for communication. This preliminary action creates a security framework that prevents spam and phishing attempts before they can exploit protocol vulnerabilities across different messaging channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where users can report spam and phishing attempts, and the system learns from these reports to improve filtering and authentication. The feedback loop allows the system to adapt to new spam techniques while maintaining interoperability across email, text messaging, and instant messaging platforms.
3Ease of operation
If contact information is shared openly in contact lists, then communication accessibility is improved, but privacy control is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments contact information into different levels of accessibility. Instead of treating all contacts uniformly, the system divides contact lists into authorized and unauthorized segments based on user-defined permissions. This segmentation allows users to control which contacts can initiate communication while maintaining ease of operation for authorized contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic permission management where contact accessibility is not static but can be adjusted in real-time. Users can dynamically add or remove contacts from authorized lists, and permissions can change based on communication context. This dynamic approach maintains communication accessibility for legitimate contacts while preventing unauthorized access.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method for enabling privacy-aware inter-channel communication between a business entity and a person. The system includes a people registry module that allows people to register using anonymized biometric factors, and a business registry module for businesses to register using a communication address. The system generates a cryptographic key-value pair to enforce the exclusive permission to exchange messages between the business entity and the customer. The customer controls the permission for the business entity to send promotional messages through the exclusive communication channel. Overall, the disclosed system protects a person's privacy by decoupling the person's identity from their contact information.