Abstract: A user-controlled information disclosure process for web user identification. In this process, a user information database, a BrowserID Client applet, and a BrowserID Website database are configured at a user terminal. The user information database contains a plurality of information records about a user's identification information and access levels for the respective information records. The BrowserID Website database contains the names of web sites and access levels for the respective web sites. In response to a request for user information from a web site, the BrowserID Client applet checks the existing access level in the BrowserID Website database for the web site (or negotiates a new level), and if appropriate, retrieves the access key granted by the web site to gain access to a controlled portion of a website.