Systems and methods for distributing and viewing electronic documents

A method for viewing electronic documents, comprising

• sending a request for an electronic document file to a server, the request associated with a given user;
• receiving (1) the electronic document file, the electronic document file encrypted by an issue key and (2) a key token encrypted by a user key, wherein the key token includes the issue key and information usable to determine one or more rights comprising a subset that includes all or fewer than all of a plurality of rights associated with the electronic document file and wherein each of said rights defines an action capable of being performed on at least a portion of the copy of the electronic document file, the plurality of rights may include any number of rights, and a number of said subsets into which the plurality of rights may be divided is not limited to two;
• displaying the electronic document file to the user;
• and
• permitting interaction with the electronic document file in accordance with the at least one right
• wherein the user comprises a first user and one of the rights associated with the copy of the electronic document file includes the ability of the first user to share with a second user at least a portion of a body of content comprising the electronic document file in a form that enables the second user to access the shared content based on rights derived from the first user through an act of said sharing even if the second user is not otherwise entitled to access the shared content.

A system for distributing an electronic version of a printed document, comprising:

• means for storing at least one electronic document file, the electronic document file being based at least in part on a source electronic document provided by a content provider, where the source electronic document is the electronic version of the printed document;
• means for receiving a request for a copy of the electronic document file from a client;
• means for defining one or more rights associated with the client that sent the request, wherein said one or more fights comprise a subset that includes all or fewer than all of a plurality of rights associated with the copy of the electronic document file and wherein each of said rights defines an action capable of being performed on at least a portion of the copy of the electronic document file, the plurality of rights may include any number of rights, and a number of said subsets into which the plurality of rights may be divided is not limited to two;
• means for encrypting (1) the copy of the electronic document file with an issue key and (2) the issue key and information usable to determine the one or more rights, wherein the issue key and information usable to determine the one or more rights are encrypted into a key token and the means for encrypting is in operable communication with the means for storing and the means for receiving;
• and
• means for distributing the electronic document file in communication with the means for encrypting, the means for distributing providing the copy of the encrypted electronic document file and the key token to the client requesting the copy of the electronic document file
• wherein the client comprises a first client and one of the rights associated with the copy of the electronic document file includes the ability of the first client to share with a second client at least a portion of a body of content comprising the electronic document file in a form that enables the second client to access the shared content based on rights derived from the first client through the act of said sharing even if the second client is not otherwise entitled to access the shared content.