System and methods for sharing and trading user data and preferences between computer programs and other entities while preserving user privacy

A method of generating a cryptographic credential for authenticating a user, comprising:

• receiving, by a user interface of a computing device, user data from the user to be authenticated;
• generating, by the computing device, a PK, a VK that is complementary to the PK, and an encrypted data object that represents the user data, the generating being performing by inputting service logic and the user data to a KGE such that the PK, the VK and the encrypted data object are all a function of both the service logic and the user data;
• generating, by the computing device, a cryptographic proof by inputting the PK and the encrypted data object to a PGE such that the user data represented by the cryptographic proof is verifiable by inputting the proof, the VK and encrypted data object to a PVE;
• transmitting the cryptographic proof, the encrypted data object and the VK to a service provider over one or more communication networks, the service provider generating a second PK, a second VK that is complementary to the second PK, a second encrypted data object that represents the encrypted user data object plus additional data, and a second cryptographic proof, the generating being performing by inputting second service logic and the encrypted user data object plus the additional data to a second KGE such that the second PK, the second VK and the second encrypted data object are all a function of both the second service logic and the encrypted user data object plus the additional data, the generating of the second cryptographic proof being performed by inputting the second PK and the second encrypted data object to a second PGE;
• receiving, by the computing device over one or more communication networks, a cryptographic credential created by the service provider from (i) the second cryptographic proof and the second encrypted data object or (ii) the second VK and the second encrypted data object;
• and
• providing the cryptographic credential to a third party that is able to verify the user data represented by the cryptographic proof by sending the cryptographic credential to a verifying entity that is in possession of the one of the second VK and the second cryptographic proof that is not included in the cryptographic credential.

A method of generating a cryptographic credential for authenticating a user, comprising:

• receiving from a computing device over one or more communication networks a verifying key (VK) that is complementary to a proving key (PK), an encrypted data object that represents user data received by the computing device from the user and a cryptographic proof, the PV, VK and the encrypted data object having been generated on the computing device by inputting service logic and the user data to a key generating engine (KGE) such that the PK, the VK and the encrypted data object are all a function of both the service logic and the user data, the cryptographic proof having been generated by the computing device by inputting the PK and the encrypted data object to a proof generating engine (PGE) such that the user data represented by the cryptographic proof is verifiable by inputting the cryptographic proof, the VK and encrypted data object to a proof verification engine (PVE);
• generating a second PK, a second VK that is complementary to the second PK, a second encrypted data object that represents the encrypted user data object plus additional data, and a second cryptographic proof, the generating of the second PK, the second VK and the second encrypted data object being performing by inputting second service logic and the encrypted user data object plus the additional data to a second KGE such that the second PK, the second VK and the second encrypted data object are all a function of both the second service logic and the encrypted user data object plus the additional data, the generating of the second cryptographic proof being performed by inputting the second PK and the second encrypted data object to a second PGE;
• creating a cryptographic credential from (i) the second cryptographic proof and the second encrypted data object or (ii) the second VK and the second encrypted data object;
• transmitting the cryptographic credential to the computing device over the one or more communication networks;
• and
• transmitting the one of the second VK and the second cryptographic proof that is not included in the cryptographic credential to a verifying entity such that a third party receiving the cryptographic credential from the computing device is able to verify the user data represented by the cryptographic proof by sending the cryptographic credential to the verifying entity.