A
system and method of delivering and accessing information including advertisements targeted to a user that assures the
privacy protection of the user, and allows the user to access the advertisements without interrupting the flow of desired information content. The
system includes at least one computerized
user device and at least one ad matching entity communicably coupled to at least one network. The ad matching entity includes a master computer
system and at least one computer sub-system, in which each sub-system is associated with a respective
user device. The
user device creates a
user profile based upon data obtained from observing various user actions, including the consumption / abandonment of content programs or advertisements, the visiting of web pages, the use of web
search terms, etc. The
user profile data is provided by the user device to the sub-system of the ad matching entity, which is a
trusted third party. The ad matching sub-system locally matches information contained in the
user profile against information contained in a target profile, and sends the results to the
master system. Based on these results, the
master system transmits at least one advertisement targeted to the user to the user device. The ad matching entity then permanently deletes all records and copies of the user profile from its data storage. At a later time chosen by the user, the user can consume the advertisement in an out-of-line fashion independently of the consumption of any desired information content.