data isn't the carrier, it isn't the signal (information), and it certainly isn't the meaning (interpretation). A reasonable first approximation is that data is _message_.

Actually it is as much about the sender and the message as the receiver.

Sure, the message matters insomuch as it contains any information the receiver might be able to receive, but that doesn't guarantee it will be received, so how much does a message really matter? I don't see how the sender matters that much (unless perhaps the sender and receiver are linked, for example, they exchange some kind of abstract interpreter for the message). But does the message matter on its own if is is encrypted so well that it is indistinguishable from noise to any but one particular receiver? It's just noise without the receiver. I'm not sure what was meant, but this is the best I can do in understanding it.

Thank you - I was beginning to wonder if anyone in this conversation understood this. It is really the key to meaningfully (!!) move forward in this stuff.