posted
Here is a hypothetical situation: Suppose I create a Microsoft Word document. I later change some text in the document by deleting a word and replacing it with a different word. (I do not have the "track changes" feature operating when I make the change.) I then email that document to someone else.
Is there metadata residing somewhere in the document that would tell the recipient what change I made to the document?
If so, how would one "scrub" the document of the metada so the change cannot be seen?
Thank you Hatrackers for any assistance you can provide.
Posts: 195 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I don't know about your first question, but as for scrubbing, copy the text into Notepad, then paste it back into a brand spanking new Word document.
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
The law firm where I worked until earlier this year had a metadata remover that scrubbed that stuff. But I never really worked on it, so I don't know exactly what they did. I'd go with what quidscribis said.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quidscribis and Lisa - I tried copying text into Notepad and pasting it into a new Word document. But I lost all of my formatting, which is a problem.
But I still have a basic question: Does simply changing a word in a document and sending it leave metadata that would enable the recipient to see the change (even when you have not used the Track Changes tool)? I would invest in a good metadata remover if I am at risk of these types of changes being discovered.
Posts: 195 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by David G: quidscribis and Lisa - I tried copying text into Notepad and pasting it into a new Word document. But I lost all of my formatting, which is a problem.
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: Out of interest, what is it you're doing?
As a lawyer, I often transmit documents to opposing counsel, including documents delivered by email. But I may not want my opponent to see changes I made earlier to the document.
For example, I write a letter demanding $100,000 to settle a case, and I send the letter by email. An earlier draft of the letter demanded only $80,000, but I later changed it to $100,000. I don't want the other side to see that I was considering a demand of only $80,000 and learn, therefore, that my expectations for settlement are considerably lower.
This situation comes up most often when negotiating a contract that goes back and forth with both sides making proposed changes. I may not want the other side to see some of the changes I was thinking about before tendering a final draft.
Posts: 195 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Could you use PDF files? There are plenty of good free PDF converters, and the resulting file would only have the information that would be sent to the printer.
Posts: 145 | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Assuming you didn't use black squares to redact it, in which case people will just delete the black squares and look at the text underneath.
But yes, PDF is a much safer way to transmit documents, particularly if you only create the PDF as the last step before sending.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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