USER INFORMATION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

1 . A method for managing information from at least one member in a data storage unit to be used for digital communication, the method comprising:

enabling each of the at least one member to access the data storage unit using a member device and enter personal information into the data storage unit;

associating, using a processor, at least one part of each member's personal information with an unique identifier that enables tracking of use of the member's personal information;

enabling each member to interface with the data storage unit using the member device and select what personal information is allowed to be distributed by the data storage unit;

enabling personal information about the at least one member to be accessed by a client through a client interface via a communication network element; and

sending a notification message to the at least one member when personal information about that member from the data storage unit is made available to the client or utilized by the client to send a digital communication to the member device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the personal information includes information about a plurality of parameters relating to delivery of the digital communication to the member device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising selecting the parameters from a group consisting of a model of the member device, a make of the member device, receipt times of the digital communication by the member at their member device, a location of the member device, one or more preferences of the member relating to receipt of digital communications and availability of the member to receive the digital communication at their member device.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of enabling each member to interface with the data storage unit using the member device and select what personal information is allowed to be distributed by the data storage unit comprises enabling the member to select what parameters to distribute and what parameters not to distribute.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of enabling each member to interface with the data storage unit using the member device and select what personal information is allowed to be distributed by the data storage unit comprises enabling the member to select a respective set of parameters to distribute to each of a plurality of different clients.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

including in the notification message, feedback on a level of utilization of the personal information; and

generating a display ranking of the at least one member;

enabling each client to access the display ranking or a derivative thereof; and

managing the display ranking such that a higher level of successful utilization increases the display ranking of the member's personal information thereby causing greater future utilization by clients.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a variable reward based on each members response to the notification messages; and

determining the reward based on at least one of the following parameters: response rate of the member to the notification message, frequency of given responses to notification messages, and purchases made by the member of goods and services relating to previously sent digital communication.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

including in the notification message, a reward credit; and

determining the reward credit as a percentage of a cost of the digital communication sent to the at least one member.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising including in the notification message, a feedback option for the member to indicate a partial or full opt-out to any received or about to be received digital communication.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

including in the notification message, an accumulative counter on a user profile of a member;

forming the counter to trigger a secondary notification message to the member device once it passes a predetermined level.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the secondary notification is a message selected from a group consisting of an SMS message to a mobile device, an MMS message to a mobile device or an e-mail message to a mobile device.

12 . A system for managing information from at least one member in a data storage unit to be used for digital communication, comprising:

a processor arranged to interact with a member device via a communications network and enable each member to enter using the member device, personal information in predefined parameter fields, to update existing information in the fields and access an overall member profile;

a user interface of the data storage unit accessible by a client seeking information about members to enable the client to access available personal information from members using a client device; and

a notification message system that sends a message via a communication network element to the member when their personal information is accessed, the notification message system being arranged to store in the notification message, an amount of credits allocated to the member following use of the member's personal information in the data storage unit.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the notification message system is arranged to generate the notification message in the form of an SMS message, an MMS message, an e-mail message or an electronic transfer.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the data storage unit is arranged to provide a tagging and tracking feature linked to the personal information entered by the member allowing the use of the personal information to be tracked in the digital communication network.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is arranged to enable audit of each member's personal information by identifying a tag linked to the personal information of each member and tracking the tag in communications to the member.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the user interface is arranged to enable the client to purchase personal information about members, the notification message system being further arranged to send a message via the communication network element to the member when their personal information is purchased.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the notification message system is further arranged to send the message to the member, when their personal information is purchased, including an identity of the purchaser.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the notification message system is arranged to increase the number of credits allocated to the member in conjunction with each utilization of the member's personal information from the data storage unit.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the notification message system is further arranged to base the increase in the number of credits on cost of the digital communication to the member.

20 . A computer program embodied on non-transitory computer-readable media and resident in a data system for managing information from at least one member in a data storage unit associated with the data system to be used for digital communication, the computer program being arranged to:

enable each of the at least one member to access the data storage unit using a member device and enter personal information into the data storage unit;

enable each member to interface with the data storage unit using the member device and select what personal information is allowed to be distributed by the data storage unit;

associate at least one part of each member's personal information with an unique tag or identifier that enables tracking of use of the member's personal information;

enable personal information about the at least one member in the data storage unit to be accessed by a client through a client interface via a communication network element; and

send a notification message to the at least one member when personal information about that member from the data storage unit is made available to the client or utilized by the client to send a digital communication.

21 . The computer program of claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to:

perform an authentication of personal information entered by each member; and

notify each member or an administrator of the computer program when entered personal information is deemed to be irregular.

22 . The computer program of claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to enable tracking of use of personal information of each member in the data storage unit by clients by determining use of the unique tag or identified associated with that member's personal information.

23 . The computer program of claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to:

establish a time limit on use by a client of personal information about each member; or

establish a limit on a number of times a client may use personal information about each member.

24 . The computer program of claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to:

generate data lists from personal information entered by a plurality of members in the data storage unit based on one or more selected parameters of information about members sought by the client and authorization provided by members to use of their personal information; and

provide to the client a generated data list upon predetermined conditions.

25 . The computer program of claim 24 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to:

allocate a percentage of benefit obtained by inclusion of the personal information of a member in a generated data list to the member; and

notify the member of their allocated percentage of benefit.

26 . The computer program of claim 25 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to:

monitor responses by each member to digital communications; and

adjust the percentage of benefit allocated to each member based in part on a history of their responses to digital communications.

27 . The computer program of claim 25 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to:

assess a quantity of personal information provided by each member in absolute or relative terms; and

adjust the percentage of benefit allocated to each member based in part on the quantity of personal information provided by each member.

28 . The computer program of claim 25 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to:

assess a degree to which each member authorizes use of their personal information; and

adjust the percentage of benefit allocated to each member based in part on the degree to which each member has authorized use of their personal information.

29 . The computer program of claim 25 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to manage a database including data about benefits obtained by members by virtue of their authorizing clients to access their personal information.

30 . The computer program of claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to include in the notification message an identification of the client using or accessing the member's personal information.

31 . The computer program of claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further arranged to enable each client to develop a campaign to identified members by enabling the client to select one or more parameters into which the members are segmented and thereby provide the client with a list of members associated with each of the selected parameters.

32 . A method for accessing personal information from at least one member from a data storage unit to be used for digital communication, the method comprising:

enabling personal information about the at least one member to be accessed by a client through a client interface and client device;

providing a search engine on a client device to enable the client to search the personal information on the data storage unit to find and select at least one member and request access to the personal information of each selected member from the data storage unit; and

directing, using a communications network, a digital communication in the form of a questionnaire or an advertisement to each selected member based on the provided personal information.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the personal information includes a plurality of parameters relating to delivery of the digital communication to the members, the step of providing the search engine to enable the client to search the personal information on the data storage unit comprising enabling the client to select specific ones of the parameters to thereby obtain contact information about members having the same selected specific parameter(s).