I don't want to speak for the parent, but in my opinion, there is a clean separation between matter (ultimately consisting of atoms) and the information embodie

I don't want to speak for the parent, but in my opinion, there is a clean separation between matter (ultimately consisting of atoms) and the information embodied in the arrangement of those atoms (eg in a book or DVD disk). In this scheme, property rights would protect the atoms themselves, but not the information of how they are distributed. I don't know what it would mean to regard the atoms themselves, without reference to their surroundings, as information, as you seem to imply.