Confidentiality is a category that implies maintaining confidentiality of information about a person’s personality or about his activities and financial condition and so on.
Definition of a concept
Confidentiality is a set of measures to prevent leakage and disclosure of any information. The essence of this concept can also be understood by reading its translation from different languages. It sounds something like "secret" or "trust." Every year this category becomes more and more significant in various fields. Confidentiality can be considered a prerequisite for many types of activities, including medical, legal, audit, and others.
Legislative regulation
Confidentiality is a serious enough topic that affects almost all spheres of public life. That is why the regulation of this issue has long been happening at the legislative level. So, in accordance with a special Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the following are considered confidential types of information:
- all personal information identifying the person, as well as facts relating to his private life (exceptions are information provided to the media, as well as signing documents permitting the dissemination of data);
- information about the conduct of the investigation and court documents, as well as information about the persons who are protected under state programs;
- official secret which includes data on the work of state bodies, scientific laboratories, as well as enterprises of the defense sector;
- information on such types of activities as medical, lawyer, audit, judicial, investigative and so on;
- trade secret, consisting in details about the production and technological process, as well as the organization of the enterprise as a whole;
- information on scientific developments until the receipt of patent documentation or prior to implementation.
Where privacy is needed
Any field of activity requires the confidentiality of a certain amount of information. An example is a commercial enterprise. Its employees do not have the right to divulge information about the production technology, organizational structure and other issues, which is enshrined in the relevant clauses of the employment contract. Violation of this rule threatens with a fine or dismissal.
Probably everyone heard such a phrase as state secret. This is a whole series of information that is protected by government institutions and law enforcement agencies. We are talking about scientific, military, political, intelligence and other activities. By making these facts public, an individual can not only inflict economic damage on the state, but also endanger its security. Serious liability is foreseen for such offenses.
In medical and other institutions of this kind, it is also necessary to maintain confidentiality. The staff does not have the right to disclose customer information. The same applies to audit firms. Otherwise, the injured party may initiate legal proceedings.
What can not be confidential information
The scope of the privacy policy does not apply to the following types of information:
- information specified in the constituent documents;
- company registration certificate data;
- information about the property of the organization;
- information on compliance with safety rules and environmental responsibility standards;
- on the staff, as well as the remuneration system for the work done;
- facts of a violation of the law;
- information about tenders, tenders and other events in which the fate of state property is decided;
- financial statements of non-profit organizations.
Privacy protection
Data privacy can be protected by its owner as follows:
- first you need to make a list of information that falls into the category of "commercial secret" in accordance with the law;
- the establishment of an internal procedure for the protection of information by limiting the circle of persons having access to it, as well as the introduction of responsibility for non-compliance with the rules;
- keeping records of persons who are admitted to confidential data;
- the introduction of a clause on liability for the dissemination of classified information in the employment contract, as well as commercial contracts with contractors;
- clear recording on digital and paper media of all information in order to prove its authenticity and ownership;
- immediate registration with relevant authorities of information that should be protected.
This list of activities may be supplemented at the discretion of the entrepreneur. The main condition is compliance with their legislative standards.
findings
Confidentiality is an objective necessity in modern conditions. Each person, as well as the organization, has the right to keep certain information secret. Violation of this rule entails the onset of administrative, and in some cases criminal liability.
Confidentiality conditions largely depend on what type of activity we are talking about. This rule should be followed in everything that relates to commercial or state secrets, as well as the private life of an individual, regardless of his social status and type of activity.
