Application of automatic internet identification methods

1. A method of controlling access of a user to a service, the method comprising:

obtaining a first, transient identifier associated with a communication session of said user over an anonymous network;

obtaining a second identifier associated with persistent real-world information of said user from a network access provider (NAP) through which said user is connected to said service, said second identifier associated with said first identifier at said NAP; and

controlling access based on said second identifier.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said service is selected from the group consisting of e-mail service, electronic banking, financial service, and firewall.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said network is selected from the group consisting of an Internet network, a wireless data network, a cellular data network, and a CATV-based data network.

4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

evaluating the reliability of said second identifier based on predetermined criteria; and

determining the level of access to provide to said user based on said reliability.

5. A method for providing a telephone call identifier, the method comprising:

obtaining by a network device an identifier associated with a telephone line accessing a data network; and

sending said identifier to be associated with a telephone call to a terminating telephone network.

6. A method for verifying that an anonymous network user is an adult, the method comprising:

obtaining by a network device account details associated with said user; and

reporting said user as an adult if said account details pertain only to users above a predetermined age.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein said step of obtaining comprises receiving said account details from a network access provider servicing said user.

8. A method according to claim 6 , wherein said account details pertain to at least one user below said predetermined age and further comprising:

obtaining information associated with said account generally known only to adult users of said account;

requesting said user to enter an at least generally significant part of said information; and

reporting said user as an adult if said at least generally significant part matches the corresponding part of said information.

9. A method for handling telephone calls during a dial-up Internet connection, the method comprising:

obtaining an identifier of a telephone line connecting a user to a data network from a network side of a connection between said user and said data network;

associating said identifier with information for contacting said user over said network; and

configuring incoming telephone calls to said user according to said information.

10. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

upon receiving said incoming call, sending notification of said incoming call to said user.

11. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising at least one of:

forwarding said incoming call to said user over said network;

forwarding said incoming call to said user over a telephone network;

sending to said user information about the origin of said incoming call; and

receiving from said user at least one order about how to handle said incoming call.

12. A system for handling telephone calls, the system comprising:

an extraction unit able to extract an identifier of a telephone line connecting a user to a data network from a network side of a connection between said user and said network;

an association unit able to associate said identifier with information for contacting a user associated with said telephone line over said network; and

a messenger system communicating with said user over said network using said information for contacting said user.

13. A method according to claim 1 for verifying the authenticity of information provided by a user in a communication session over an anonymous network, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining account details previously collected by said NAP and associated with said user by said NAP; and

determining the authenticity of said information by comparing said information with said previously verified account details.

14. A method according to claim 1 verifying the authenticity of information provided by a user, the method comprising:

sending by a service provider to a network access provider (NAP) through which said user is engaged in a communication session with said service provider a request to identify said user, said request including said information and an identifier of said communication session; and

receiving a report from said NAP comprising the match results between said information and account details previously collected by said NAP and associated with said user by said NAP.