Abstract: Self-asserted socio-demographic attributes of individuals' identities are verified using social network analysis and other means. Through these processes, parties to a transaction or interaction arc provided a measure of confidence about another party's self-asserted socio-demographic attributes, such as age, gender, marital status, etc., in order to assist in determining whether or not to pursue the transaction or interaction. The measure of confidence may be provided as a quantitative “score” indicative of the likelihood the user's self-asserted attribute is actually true. The quantitative score is derived by analyzing a web of trust in which the user is embedded.

Abstract: Apparati, methods, and computer readable media for authenticating an entity (9) in a shared hosting computer network (4) environment. A service provider computer (2) contains a plurality of entity sites (5). Connected to the service provider computer (2), a trusted third party computer (1) is adapted to provide a conglomerated authenticity certification to the service provider computer (2). Coupled to the trusted third party computer (1) is a means (10) for enabling an entity (9) to seek to convert the conglomerated authenticity certification into an individualized authenticity certification covering that entity's site (5).

Abstract: Apparati, methods, and computer readable media for authenticating an entity (9) in a shared hosting computer network (4) environment. A service provider computer (2) contains a plurality of entity sites (5). Connected to the service provider computer (2), a trusted third party computer (1) is adapted to provide a conglomerated authenticity certification to the service provider computer (2). Coupled to the trusted third party computer (1) is a means (10) for enabling an entity (9) to seek to convert the conglomerated authenticity certification into an individualized authenticity certification covering that entity's site (5).