The Embedded Metadata Manifesto: Proper Industry Recognition For The Value Of Embedded Metadata At Last?
This was covered on David Rieck’s Controlled Vocabulary group. The Embedded Metadata Manifesto discusses 5 key principles for using and creating embedded metadata and is aimed at both intellectual property originators (creators of assets like photographers, film makers etc), tool developers (i.e. DAM vendors) and end users. The following is a rough summary:
- Anyone involved in the creation, distribution or use of assets must understand the crucial role of metadata. In particular, the copyright and intellectual property factors are highly significant (not just the use of metadata to tag media descriptively).
- When media is exchanged between a user and supplier, normally only the file itself is transferred. Relying on external formats like side-car files increases the risk of metadata loss.
- The type of data and values carried in a metadata field should not depend on the technology used to embed metadata into a file (in other words, it should be possible to read the metadata with something other than what was used to generate or digitise it originally).
- Ownership metadata is the only way to definitively protect against “orphaned works” (assets where the owner or originator cannot be identified).
- Metadata adds value to assets and removing it (e.g. by stripping embedded metadata) de-values media assets.
The Embedded Metadata Manifesto has been created by the IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) and is supported by 23 organisations:
“The Embedded Metadata Manifesto defines five guiding principles for creating and storing metadata, so important data is carried with the file wherever possible. The Embedded Metadata Manifesto is an expression of a business need by those who use metadata. It is addressed to the parties adding and managing metadata and to the vendors of hardware and software whose systems enable media and metadata workflows.” [Read More]
Given the major significance of embedded metadata for most DAM solutions and the increasing use of standards by tool vendors, it looks like this is finally a serious attempt by the various industry associations representing asset originators to get embedded metadata on to the agenda. Full details are available on http://www.embeddedmetadata.org/
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