It is one objective of the present invention to limit the frequency whereat a user can display or reproduce digital content data, such as photograph data or music data, and instead, to reduce the price of such digital content data and accelerate its sale via the Internet. According to the present invention, an information processing apparatus comprises: a reception unit, for externally receiving, via a network, a content data file to which an encrypted life counter has been added; a processor, for processing the content data file; a subtraction unit, for subtracting a specific value from the encrypted life counter; and a controller, for inhibiting the processing means from processing the content data file when the value held by the encrypted life counter has been reduced to a value smaller than the specific value.