Systems and methods for electronic postmarking including ancillary data background

A method for providing an electronic postmark for message data, the postmark including ancillary data, the method comprising:

• receiving message data from a sending user;
• receiving a selection of ancillary data from the sending user, wherein the ancillary data is authenticated;
• generating an electronic postmark including the ancillary data;
• and
• forwarding the message data with the electronic postmark to a receiving user.

A system for providing an electronic postmark for message data, the postmark including ancillary data, the method comprising:

• means for receiving message data from a sending user;
• means for receiving a selection of ancillary data from the sending user;
• means for generating an electronic postmark including the ancillary data, wherein the ancillary data is authenticated;
• and
• means for forwarding the message data with the electronic postmark to a receiving user.

A method of processing a message that includes a representation of an electronic postmark for message data, the electronic postmark including ancillary data, the method comprising:

• receiving the message from a sending user;
• generating an electronic postmark, wherein generating an electronic postmark further comprises:
• generating a hash of the message data;
• generating a time and data stamp;
• and
• generating ancillary data based on a selection of ancillary data from the sending user,
• wherein the ancillary data is authenticated;
• and
• attaching the electronic postmark to the message.