Legal Definitions - redaction

Redaction refers to the careful process of editing a document to remove specific pieces of information that are confidential, sensitive, or legally protected. The primary goal is to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of this material while allowing the remaining parts of the document to be shared, published, or presented. This often involves obscuring, deleting, or permanently removing text, images, or data from the original document.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of redaction:

• Imagine a government agency responding to a request from a citizen for public records related to a specific policy decision. While the agency aims for transparency, it must also protect certain information. For instance, the agency might redact the personal email addresses and phone numbers of junior staff members involved in the discussions, as well as proprietary details of a contractor's bid that are considered trade secrets. This ensures that the public can understand the decision-making process without compromising individual privacy or sensitive commercial information.

• Consider a university's human resources department conducting an internal investigation into a workplace complaint. When the final report is shared with relevant parties, such as senior management or legal counsel, certain details might be redacted. This could include the names of witnesses who requested anonymity, specific medical information about an employee involved, or details of disciplinary actions against other staff members that are unrelated to the core complaint. Redaction in this context protects the privacy of individuals and ensures compliance with employment laws.

• A technology company is involved in a lawsuit and is required to produce internal emails and documents as evidence. Before submitting these to the court, the company's legal team will redact any information that is protected by attorney-client privilege, such as communications with their lawyers seeking legal advice. They might also redact highly sensitive trade secrets or proprietary source code that is not directly relevant to the case but could harm the company if disclosed publicly. This process allows the company to comply with discovery obligations while safeguarding privileged and confidential business information.