A system for managing user accounts and controlling anonymous access to
resources over data networks for a plurality of provider members in a
manner to preserve the secrecy of the identity of a user who is in a home
provider's user/customer base. The system includes a means for sharing
non-identifying user information and charges among a plurality of service
provider members, including a home provider and an outside provider, a
means for enabling a user who is registered as a customer with the home
provider to anonymously access the resources of the outside provider, a
sharing means adapted to allow the system to permit the home provider to
enable access by the user to the resources of the outside provider
without requiring either personal identification or an open account for
the user at the outside provider, and a verification means separate from
the home provider adapted to allow the outside provider to determine the
user's access privileges and criteria. The verification means may include
a token and authentification server. The verification means preferably
does not have access to personal identification information of the user.
Preferably the verification server is separate from the provider members.
In another aspect, the system includes means for enabling a user who is
registered as a customer with the home provider to access the resources
of the outside provider, while allowing the appearance that the resources
are accessed directly from the home provider.