A highly-convenient content duplication management system for allowing
users to duplicate a content as long as the duplication is in compliance
with a given usage right. In the system, a request destination device
stores a content and a permitted number of duplications of the content.
In response to a duplication request, the request destination device
judges whether or not the request source device is an in-group device
that belongs to the same group as the request destination device. When
judging that the request source device is an in-group device, the request
destination device transmits the content together with a permitted number
that is equal to or smaller than the currently stored permitted number.
The request destination device then updates the currently stored
permitted number by subtracting the permitted number transmitted.