Legal Definitions - government secret

A "government secret" is synonymous with a state secret. This term refers to information held by the government that, if publicly disclosed, would pose a significant threat to national security, foreign relations, or public safety. Governments assert a legal privilege to withhold such information, even in court proceedings, to protect vital national interests. The determination that specific information constitutes a state secret is typically made by high-ranking government officials.

Here are some examples illustrating how this term applies:

• Example 1: Military Operations

  Imagine a classified document detailing the precise routes, timing, and specific objectives of a planned covert military operation in a hostile territory. This document also identifies the unique capabilities of specialized units involved.

  Illustration: Releasing this information would immediately compromise the mission, endanger the lives of military personnel, and potentially provoke an international incident. Such details are considered a state secret because their disclosure would directly and severely harm national defense and foreign policy interests.

• Example 2: Intelligence Gathering

  Consider the identity of a foreign national who has been secretly providing intelligence to a national security agency about a rival nation's advanced weapons development program. This individual's code name, methods of communication, and specific handler are all documented in highly classified files.

  Illustration: Public disclosure of this information would not only place the informant's life in extreme danger but also cripple the intelligence agency's ability to gather critical information from that source and potentially other sources. This directly impacts national security by undermining intelligence operations.

• Example 3: Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities

  Suppose a government agency has identified a previously unknown, severe vulnerability in the software that controls a significant portion of the nation's air traffic control system. The agency is actively working on a patch, but the details of the vulnerability and the specific exploit methods are documented internally.

  Illustration: Revealing these technical details would provide a roadmap for malicious actors, including state-sponsored hackers or terrorists, to disrupt air travel, potentially causing widespread chaos, economic damage, and loss of life. Such information is a state secret because its disclosure would pose a grave threat to public safety and national security.