Legal Definitions - rights-management information

Definition: Rights-management information refers to information about an intellectual-property right that is attached to the subject matter when it is made available to the public, especially in electronic form. This information identifies the owner of the right, the terms of use, indexing numbers or codes, or other identifying information. It helps in contracting with the owner of the rights. In digital technology, laws may prohibit the removal or alteration of rights-management information as a form of intellectual-property protection.

• A music file that has information about the artist, album, and copyright owner embedded in it is an example of rights-management information.
• A digital photograph that has metadata containing the photographer's name, the date and time the photo was taken, and the camera settings is another example of rights-management information.

These examples illustrate how rights-management information can be used to identify the owner of a particular intellectual-property right and the terms of use associated with it. This information can be helpful in negotiating contracts and licensing agreements, as well as in enforcing intellectual-property rights.