Abstract: Steganography is the art of hiding information within information. The hidden information is called “covert” and the carrier information is called “overt.” In the digital world, steganography as a security technique differs considerably from encryption, watermarking, or placing data within digital envelopes. This invention uses steganographic techniques to embedded hidden behaviors, controls, and security within content creating self-governance of the content itself. The hidden behaviors include who, what, when, where, and how content is to be used. The hidden controls govern what can be done with the content such as copied, stored, deleted, and archived. The hidden embedded security includes authentication of author, source, and user of the content. In effect, the content becomes “smart content” and does not require network-centric security controls allowing ubiquitous exchanges across enterprises.