Metadata and Ethics Opinions

Metadata, is not the contents of an electronic file, but information about that file.  It's data about data, and nearly every electronic document, photo, recording, or file has it.   This information can be created automatically by a computer or user or be inferred through a relationship with another document, and the owner may not even know it's there. Can metadata be disclosing more information to the opposing party than you intend?  The short answer is yes, and that is why it is so important to understand metadata.  On this week's podcast, Rebecca and Steve discuss lawsuits and ethics opinions from around the country regarding the disclosure of client and file information that was hidden in metadata. Is it ethical for an opposing party to utilize metadata?  Does this encrypted information violate confidentiality?  The information is virtual, but the risk is real.