Anonymous authenticated communications

A method of performing electronic communications between members of a group wherein the communications are authenticated as being from a member of the group and have not been altered, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of random numbers;
• distributing in a digital medium the plurality of random numbers to the members of the group;
• publishing a hash value of contents of the digital medium;
• distributing to the members of the group public-key-encrypted messages each containing a same token comprising a random number;
• and
• encrypting a message with a key generated from the token and the plurality of random numbers;
• wherein anonymity of a sender of the message is maintained;
• and
• additionally comprising the step causing the encrypted message to be transmitted over a network such that a recipient of the encrypted message receives no data concerning network routing of the encrypted message.

A method of performing electronic communications between members of a group wherein the communications are authenticated as being from a member of the group and have not been altered, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of random numbers;
• distributing in a digital medium the plurality of random numbers to the members of the group;
• publishing a hash value of contents of the digital medium;
• distributing to the members of the group public-key-encrypted messages each containing a same token comprising a random number;
• and
• encrypting a message with a key generated from the token and the plurality of random numbers;
• wherein the method provides relative anonymity for communications between the members;
• and
• wherein anonymity is not provided for communications between members of the group within a same domain.