Method for allowing a customer to preview, acquire and/or pay for information and a system therefor

A method for reducing the utility of an original unmasked version of an information product, for previewing, browsing and distribution control purposes, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a reduced-utility version of said information product over an interactive medium;
• said reduced-utility version being created by superposing a masking effect on said original unmasked version of said information product in the form of an overlay superposed on a region of said original unmasked version of said information product;
• said reduced-utility version of said information product remaining representative of said original unmasked version of said information product, and allowing a user to browse through and preview said information product;
• said masking effect being adapted to interfere with at least one of viewing, hearing, displaying and playing of said original unmasked version of said information product;
• allowing said user to access said reduced-utility version of said information product:
• and
• controlling at least one of—presence, absence, duration of application and permanence of said masking effect in accordance with the outcome of an interactive communication between a provider of said reduced-utility version of said information product and said user.