Patent ID: 8302001

Claim:
An information processing apparatus comprising: a memory configured to store a program for executing the steps of: designating a character string to be hidden in a document; generating a unique and random character string; adding the generated unique and random character string and the designated character string to be hidden in the document to metadata of the document; and replacing the designated character string to be hidden in the document with the generated unique and random character string, and a processor configured to execute the program stored in the memory, wherein, in a case where the document is output by a first program that cannot interpret the metadata, the metadata is skipped and the character string to be hidden in the document is output with the unique and random character string with which the designated character string to be hidden in the document is replaced, wherein, in a case where the document is output by a second program that can interpret the metadata, the metadata is interpreted and the character string to be hidden in the document is output with the designated character string, wherein, in the adding step, the unique and random character string generated by setting an attribute of the generated unique and random character string transparent is added, and wherein, in a case where the document is displayed by the first program, the metadata is skipped and the character string to be hidden in the document is not output with the unique and random character string with which the designated character string to be hidden in the document is replaced.