A method is disclosed to share data amongst conference participants in a SIP conference. The method includes, in response to a request of a user agent (UA) conference participant to create a data sharing element, informing the UA in a SIP message of an address of a storage location associated with a data sharing server (DSS) of a conferencing server where the UA may store shared data for use by other conference participants; storing the data in the address of the storage location and establishing at least one policy that controls at least one of access to and distribution of the shared data with respect to the other conference participants. Also disclosed, as part of a SIP Conference Server (10), is a Data Sharing Server (14) that provides storage for, and controlled access to and distribution of the shared data stored by one or more of SIP conference participants.