Data sharing platform

1. A method for allowing a plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with a payment card network to share payment card transaction data with at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining, by at least one hardware processor, within said payment card network, a data sharing platform including a database containing said payment card transaction data from said plurality of payment card account holders, wherein said transaction data corresponds to payment card transactions made by said plurality of payment card account holders using said payment card network;

providing, by said at least one hardware processor, a web server of a consumer control module of said data sharing platform, said web server hosting an internet-based user interface which presents at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network with at least one selection providing consent to sharing of at least a portion of said payment card transaction data with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site;

obtaining, by said at least one hardware processor, said consent from said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network, via said at least one selection, said at least one selection being obtained by said internet-based user interface; and

interfacing, by said at least one hardware processod, via an application program interface of said consumer control module, with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site, to share said at least portion of said transaction data with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in said providing step, said user interface further provides said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network with at least one selection to specify which given portion of said transaction data is to be shared with said at least one third party;

further comprising obtaining, from said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network, said at least one selection to specify which given portion of said transaction data is to be shared with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site;

wherein said interfacing comprises interfacing in accordance with said at least one selection to specify which given portion of said transaction data is to be shared with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, in said providing step, said at least one selection comprises:

merchant identity;

merchant identity plus transaction date;

merchant identity plus transaction date plus amount.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein, in said providing step, said at least one selection further comprises item level data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in said providing, obtaining, and interfacing steps, said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site comprises said social matching web site.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in said providing, obtaining, and interfacing steps, said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site comprises said rating web site, wherein said at least portion of said transaction data is shared with said rating web site to verify a rating by a given one of said plurality of payment card account holders.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in said providing, obtaining, and interfacing steps, said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site comprises said social network.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

obtaining social network activity data from said social network for said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network; and

integrating said social network activity data and given records of said transaction data, to obtain integrated social media transaction visualization data.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing at least one of an offer and a prediction based on said integrated data.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

providing at least one offer to said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network based on said payment card transaction data from said plurality of payment card account holders.

11. A system for allowing a plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with a payment card network to share payment card transaction data with at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site, said system comprising:

a memory;

at least one processor operatively coupled to said memory; and

a persistent storage device operatively coupled to said memory and storing in a non-transitory manner instructions which when loaded into said memory cause said at least one processor to be operative to:

provide a data sharing platform including a database containing said payment card transaction data from plurality of payment card account holders, wherein said transaction data corresponds to payment card transactions made by said plurality of payment card account holders using said payment card network;

provide a web server of a consumer control module of said data sharing platform, said web server hosting an internet-based user interface which presents at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network with at least one selection providing consent to sharing of at least a portion of said payment card transaction data with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site;

obtain said consent from said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network, via said at least one selection, said at least one selection being obtained by said internet-based user interface; and

interface, via an application program interface of said consumer control module, with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site, to share said at least portion of said transaction data with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said user interface further provides said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network with at least one selection to specify which given portion of said transaction data is to be shared with said at least one third party;

wherein said persistent storage device further stores in a non-transitory manner instructions which when loaded into said memory cause said at least one processor to be further operative to obtain from said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network, said at least one selection to specify which given portion of said transaction data is to be shared with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site;

wherein said interfacing is in accordance with said at least one selection to specify which given portion of said transaction data is to be shared with said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said at least one selection comprises:

merchant identity;

merchant identity plus transaction date;

merchant identity plus transaction date plus amount.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein said at least one selection further comprises item level data.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site comprises said social matching web site.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site comprises said rating web site, wherein said at least portion of said transaction data is shared with said rating web site to verify a rating by a given one of said plurality of payment card account holders.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein said at least one of a third party social network, a third party social matching web site, and a third party rating web site comprises said social network.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein said persistent storage device further stores in a non-transitory manner instructions which when loaded into said memory cause said at least one processor to be further operative to:

obtain social network activity data from said social network for said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network; and

integrate said social network activity data and given records of said transaction data, to obtain integrated social media transaction visualization data.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein said persistent storage device further stores in a non-transitory manner instructions which when loaded into said memory cause said at least one processor to be further operative to provide at least one of an offer and a prediction based on said integrated data.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein said persistent storage device further stores in a non-transitory manner instructions which when loaded into said memory cause said at least one processor to be further operative to:

provide at least one offer to said at least one payment card account holder of said plurality of payment card account holders which make payments with said payment card network based on said payment card transaction data from said plurality of payment card account holders.