Peer-to-peer file sharing and uploading of content to content server systems is increasing in popularity on the Internet. Content signals can be edited and combined with other content programming, and or altered in ways that make it difficult to identify using conventional techniques. Content identification based on content fingerprints is used to retrieve related metadata, which in turn, is used to manage use of the content signal in content distribution systems. The content signal is uploaded to a computer within a network of computers in the content distribution system. A content fingerprint of the content signal is computed and sent to a database to look up related metadata. The metadata is received and used to manage use of the content signal in the content distribution system based on the metadata. This can include blocking uploading or rendering of audio or video, controlling streaming of audio or video, linking to a licensing server, which provides usage control rules, etc.