Browser Plugin Masking Personal Data to Block Third-Party Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Third-party tracking companies collect and sell users' personal data for targeted advertising and other purposes, leading to data discrimination and identity theft risks, with users' information often being compromised and used without their consent.
Innovation Solution
A browser plugin suite provides anonymous data entry, email masking, phone number masking, and credit card masking to prevent third-party tracking, allowing users to maintain privacy during online transactions without altering their browsing habits or requiring merchant pre-registration, with encrypted storage and limited-balance/limited-duration card options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If third-party tracking technologies (cookies, web bugs) are used to collect user data, then targeted advertising and data compilation capabilities are improved, but user privacy security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (privacy tool) that sits between the user and tracking technologies. This tool intercepts tracking attempts and replaces them with anonymized data, preventing direct collection of personal information while still enabling ad delivery. The intermediary blocks cookies and web bugs from accessing real user data, thus protecting privacy while maintaining advertising functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates anonymized copies of user data that can be used for tracking purposes without revealing actual personal information. Instead of blocking all tracking, it generates synthetic data profiles that mimic user behavior patterns but cannot be traced back to real individuals. This allows advertisers to receive data for targeting while the original user identity remains protected.
2Measurement precision
If detailed user profiles are compiled from browsing activity, then advertising targeting precision is improved, but data discrimination and identity theft risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary elements for advertising targeting while removing personally identifiable information. It separates the functional data needed for ads (browsing patterns, preferences) from the sensitive data that creates security risks (name, address, social security number). By taking out only what's needed and discarding the rest, it achieves targeting precision without identity theft risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms user data by changing its parameters - converting identifiable personal information into anonymized statistical profiles. It modifies the data structure so that while behavioral patterns remain intact for targeting purposes, the parameters that could lead to identity reconstruction are removed or obscured. This parameter transformation maintains advertising effectiveness while eliminating security vulnerabilities.
3Ease of operation
If user personal information is collected for legitimate business purposes, then service personalization is improved, but data misuse and unauthorized selling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary protective actions by establishing anonymization and encryption protocols before data is collected or stored. Instead of protecting data after collection, it pre-processes information to remove identifying elements before they can be misused. This preliminary action ensures that even if data is accessed unauthorizedly, it cannot be used for identity theft or fraudulent activities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to systems, methods and apparatus for helping keep a user's personally identifiable information private, and to mitigate the efforts of third party vendors from compiling and reselling said data. According to some embodiments, a suite of privacy tools are disclosed that can be downloaded and installed as a browser plugin. The browser plugin can detect when the user has navigated to a page that requires the user to input personal information, such as a login name, login password, email address, phone number, or credit card number. At the user's request, the browser plugin can communicate with a masked information server to generate and provide masked information that corresponds to but is different from the user's actual personal information. Masked emails, phone numbers and credit cards can be disabled in the future.