A method of distributing a data over a network includes protecting the data as a protected document by encryption and watermarking, controlling access to the protected document based on permissions, checking for permissions from a database, recording a record of the step of checking in the database, and accessing the protected document if allowed per permissions from the step of checking. The method collects a so-called “document thread” indicating a fingerprint of the first accessor of the data and the distributions and uses subsequently made of the data. The method is operable via a web page interface, such as through a browser of a device of the network communicatively connected to a web server of a data center. The method is alternately operable atop a document/data management system, including a client device application of a device of the network communicatively connected to the document/data management system. The method provides detection and log of the protected data in each event of access by the device over the network, deterrence of inappropriate access to the protected data by the device through policies for the document and device and event recordation on access, and disablement of the protected data for access by the device if access is not permissible per the method.