Method and system of authenticating the identity of a user of a public computer terminal

A method for displaying information of interest to an individual adjacent a public terminal, comprising the steps of:

• automatically detecting a unique identifier being transmitted in the immediate vicinity of the public terminal with a receiver of the public terminal;
• electronically identifying, on a remote storage location, an advertisement based on information associated with the unique identifier;
• and
• electronically displaying the advertisement on a display of the public terminal.

A system for authenticating the identity of a user of a public terminal, comprising:

• a public terminal freely accessible by a large number of users;
• a receiver for detecting a unique identifier transmitted in a pre-defined area adjacent or nearby the public terminal;
• and
• one or more computer processors for requesting, from a remote storage location, first identity verification data corresponding to the unique identifier, for receiving, from the remote storage location, the first identity verification data, for storing the first identity verification data local to the public terminal, for comparing second identity verification data input into the public terminal by a user with the first identity verification data to determine whether the second identity verification data and the first identity verification data match, and for granting access to the user to private content via the public terminal if the second identity verification data and the first identity verification data match.