Final answer:
Metadata is defined as data that provides information about other data, such as the author, file size, creation date, etc. It is important for organizing and understanding data in information systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Metadata refers to data that describes other data. It provides information about a certain item's content. For example, metadata about a document may include its author, file size, the date the document was created, and its modification dates. Metadata is incredibly crucial in information systems, data management, and digital content ecosystems, as it helps in the organization, finding, and understanding data. It's also used in various areas including databases, file systems, and webpages.
Metadata is not a group of more important data, nor is it error logs of databases or codes used for server-side processing. Neither is metadata encrypted data by itself, although metadata can be encrypted for security purposes. The correct answer to your question is: Metadata is/are data that describes data.