A system, apparatus, and method for processing or correcting metadata used to characterize content such as images, video, books, or music, where that metadata may be provided by a community of users or other source. The metadata may be searched as part of a process of identifying and accessing content of interest to a user or of sharing content among users of a network. The metadata is typically a string or strings of characters that is submitted by a community, so that the accuracy of specific data cannot be guaranteed and consistent formats and unambiguous descriptions may not be used by all members of the community.