A method is provided for judging use permission of information on one or more terminal apparatuses which use content provided by a content provider and metadata provided by a metadata provider and supplementing the content, the method comprising: metadata use permission judgment judging use permission of the metadata based on usage control information regarding use control of the metadata; and using the metadata in the case where in said metadata use permission judgment, the use of the metadata is permitted. Specifically, the usage control information includes the first signer identification information which identifies the range of the provider of the metadata that can be used. The metadata includes a signature of the metadata provider identified in the first signer identification information, and the second signer identification information identifying the signer of the signature. And, said metadata use permission judgment judges the metadata use permission based on the metadata provider identified in said first signer identification information, said second signer identification information, and signature verification.