Patent ID: 7870260

Claim:
A method for selectively allowing or denying communication access to a recipient user coupled to an electronic communication network by other users coupled to the electronic communications network, said recipient user having an associated recipient identifier, comprising the steps of: A. generating by a security module, a plurality of distinct proxy identifiers associated with said recipient user, each of said proxy identifiers having at least three associated security states, a first of said states being indicative of allowing any other user coupled to said electronic communication network communication access to said recipient user, a second of said states being indicative of denying any other user coupled to said electronic communication network communication access to said recipient user, and a third of said states being conditionally indicative of allowing at least one but fewer than all other users coupled to said electronic communication network communication access to said recipient user if predetermined criteria are met and denying access to said recipient user otherwise; B. receiving by a receiver, an inbound message from a sender user coupled to said electronic communication network including a sender identifier and said recipient identifier, said sender identifier being associated with the sender user of said inbound message, and said recipient identifier being one of said proxy identifiers, and transferring said inbound message to a queue storage C. processing by the security module, said transferred inbound message to determine a security status associated therewith pursuant to security settings alterable by said recipient user and using said sender identifier and said recipient identifier; and D. pursuant to said determination, controlling by the queue storage communication access for said transferred inbound message to said recipient user by: i. allowing communication access for said transferred inbound message to said recipient user when said security status corresponds to said first state; ii. denying communication access for said transferred-inbound message to said recipient user when said security status corresponds to said second state; iii. allowing communication access for said transferred inbound message to said recipient user when said security status corresponds to said third state and meets one or more of said predetermined criteria at least partially related to said security status of said one of said proxy identifiers, and denying communication access for said transferred inbound message to said recipient user otherwise.