Disclosed is a method for causing either encrypted first content data or unencrypted second content data, to be selectively recorded to a storage medium in a data recording apparatus. When the data recording apparatus is to return the encrypted first content data to the data transfer apparatus, the return is inhibited if the data are judged to have been edited. Upon return of the encrypted first content data, a content ID held by the data recording apparatus regarding the first content data is matched against a content ID held by the data transfer apparatus regarding the received data. Where the encrypted first content data are known to have been edited, the content ID matching process is omitted.