What is metadata?

Most software applications store information behind the scenes which you are not normally aware of. This information is used to run the application and provide the functionality that you see in day-to-day use.

This hidden information is generally called "metadata".

Although most applications store metadata to some extent, the main concern from the perspective of a lawyer is the wordprocessor; this being Microsoft Word in most modern law firms.

Problems arise when documents are sent outside of the firm by e-mail without the metadata being removed. Metadata that is not removed can be seen by the recipient of the document either in the normal course of working with the document or if the recipient looks specifically for hidden metadata.

Metadata can cause embarrassment and damage the reputation of the sender. More...

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