A file management apparatus causes notification destinations, which receive download information, to download a file recorded in a recording medium, in accordance with requests from the notification destinations. The apparatus includes an initial-deletion-time setting unit, a deletion-time updating unit, and a first file deleting unit. The initial-deletion-time setting unit sets a given time as the initial value of the deletion time of the file. The deletion-time updating unit updates the deletion time if one or more notification destinations having not downloaded the file are present when the deletion time comes. The first file deleting unit deletes the file under the condition that, when the deletion time comes, the one or more notification destinations having not downloaded the file are not present.

Examples disclosed herein relate to a protected electronic communication method comprising assigning a protected electronic communication to a data element, wherein the protected electronic communication comprises a plurality of identifier segments, receiving a request for the data element to be included in an analytics report, determining, according to the protected electronic communication, whether the data element is permitted to be included in the analytics report, and in response to determining that the data element is permitted to be included in the analytics report, providing the data element for use in the analytics report.

A file management apparatus causes notification destinations, which receive download information, to download a file recorded in a recording medium, in accordance with requests from the notification destinations. The apparatus includes an initial-deletion-time setting unit, a deletion-time updating unit, and a first file deleting unit. The initial-deletion-time setting unit sets a given time as the initial value of the deletion time of the file. The deletion-time updating unit updates the deletion time if one or more notification destinations having not downloaded the file are present when the deletion time comes. The first file deleting unit deletes the file under the condition that, when the deletion time comes, the one or more notification destinations having not downloaded the file are not present.