A downloading system which can be used freely by many and unspecified persons. A recording medium is loaded in a public downloading apparatus, and use condition confirmation processing is performed by using information recorded on the medium. Processing for downloading various sorts of information using the public downloading apparatus is allowed to be started according to a result of the use condition confirmation processing. Communication of information necessary for use condition confirmation processing with respect to use of the public downloading apparatus or for downloading processing can be performed between the public downloading apparatus and a server system.