Systems and methods for protecting mobile contact information

A method implemented by a server, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the server, indications of a user's preferences regarding sharing of the user's contact information;
• responsive to receiving the indications of the user's preferences, generating, by the server, an application contact key associated with the user's contact information, the application contact key including instructions regarding sharing of the user's contact information with applications;
• transmitting, by the server, the application contact key to a mobile device;
• receiving, by the server and from the mobile device, metadata associated with a mobile application, a unique application ID associated with the mobile application, and a user code associated with an owner of the mobile device;
• and
• storing, by the server, the metadata associated with the mobile application, the unique application ID associated with the mobile application, and the user code associated with the owner of the mobile device.

A method implemented by a computing device, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the computing device, an application contact key, the application contact key including share permissions associated with contact information of a first user;
• receiving, by the computing device, a request from a mobile application to access the contact information of the first user;
• transmitting, by the computing device and to an application management server:
• the request to access the contact information of the first user;
• the application contact key;
• metadata associated with the mobile application;
• and
• an identification code associated with a second user;
• and
• receiving, by the computing device and from the application management server, one of a grant or refusal to allow access of the first user's contact information by the mobile application, the grant or refusal being based on the application contact key and the metadata associated with the mobile application.

A system comprising:

• at least one memory operatively coupled to at least one processor and configured for storing data and instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
• receive an application contact key corresponding to a contact, the application contact key including share permissions of contact information associated with the contact that are established by the contact;
• receive metadata associated with a mobile application;
• receive, from the mobile application, a request to access, by the mobile application, the contact information;
• determine, based on the application contact key and the metadata associated with the mobile application, whether access to the contact information by the mobile application is authorized;
• and
• responsive to determining that access to the contact information is authorized, provide the mobile application with access to the contact information.