Integrated method and system for controlling information access and distribution

A distributed content entity includes a protection specification and an information entity, in which the protection specification and the information entity are attached and transported together. The protection specification includes information for controlling the use of the information entity. A framework generates the distributed content entity, in which the framework includes a protection specification unit storing the protection specification and including an access control enforcement manager and an enhanced access control enforcement manager; an information unit for storing the protected information entity; and an access checking unit connected to the protection specification unit and the information unit. The access checking unit checks whether a user has a privilege to access the protected information entity based on the protection specification and the access control manager, and checks whether the requested access meets conditions determined based on the protection specification and enforced by the enhanced access control manager. An example of the enhanced access control manager is a terms and conditions enforcement manager for enforcing the terms and conditions of an agreement relating to permitted uses of the protected information entity.