2.3.2. Embedding

Another mechanism is embedding preferences directly into content. Many Internet formats can support this: HTML has the <meta> tag, images can carry Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) and similar metadata sections, and XML and JSON can be extended to carry such data.

Embedded preferences offer granularity and can "traveling with" content as it moves between sites or is stored offline. However, metadata is often stripped to reduce file size or protect privacy, and some content is not suitable for embedding. Pure text and pages combining content from multiple producers are examples.

Participants noted that many embedding mechanisms would need to be determined by, or coordinated with, organizations outside the IETF, such as bodies that maintain HTML and image formats.