in one embodiment the user accesses or creates the document via a user interface on the computer 104 in another embodiment the user accesses the document via a user interface associated with the image generating device or transmits the document to the image generating device via any suitable means at 204 the user or a system administrator provides the custody or distribution rules for the document via any suitable means in one embodiment the custody rules are entered via a user interface at the computer in another embodiment the custody rules are entered via a user interface associated with the image generating device the custody rules include at least one of the user or system administrator name expiration date of the custody rules and the rights to be given such as whether copies may be made in what form the document may be distributed and if the document may be modified and the parties allowed such rights at 206 the glyph data is generated containing the selected custody rules by the glyph encoder means at 208 the glyph data is transmitted to the image generating device and associated with the document to which it pertains via any suitable means at 210 the selected document with the glyph data is generated preferably the glyph data is generated with the document such that is generally undetectable by a human eye in one embodiment the glyph data.