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So what you're saying is that in one of the top intelligence organizations in the world, the person who handles document classification status for technical rep
by swordswinger12 15y ago
So what you're saying is that in one of the top intelligence organizations in the world, the person who handles document classification status for technical reports just stamps papers willy-nilly?
- excuse-me 15y agoEverything from the office squash league to the canteen menu is automatically classified when it's created. The degree of classification is by default at LEAST the security level of project you are working. It is possible to create a document that is more secret than the project, although generally not less. Bizarrely it's even possible to create a document that is subsequently classified to a level that you aren't allowed to read it yourself! After a certain time (generally 30years for UK gov) records are considered for release. Some are kept classified if eg. they will put living people at risk. But releasing a document always has the potential to cause embarrassment to the civil service or government - while keeping it classified means nobody ever knows. So there is always a default - if in doubt do nothing/keep it secret.
- cchurch 15y agoYour first sentence reminds me how much we are divided by a common language.
- excuse-me 15y agoInterestingly the attitude is changing. It used to be very useful because any question about why some stupid thing had been done in a stupid way could be met with "it's classified" But it means that whenever they lose some document because somebody left a USB key or a laptop in a bar - the press can scream about "lost CLASSIFIED documents" even if they were really only the list of parking places.