A draft governmentwide nondisclosure agreement is being prepared to stop federal workers from sharing confidential government information. The draft uses an expansive definition of privileged information, covering non-public confidential or proprietary material and sensitive pre-decisional or deliberative material not publicly available. The notice is planned for publication with a 30-day public comment period. Previous efforts to curb leaks included Pentagon restrictions on reporters, removal of media from Pentagon workstations when they refused to sign, and polygraph testing for employees that was later halted after complaints. The new approach targets federal workers, but it is framed as a way to punish and limit the media’s ability to receive information.
"The draft notice, which will be published Wednesday and stay open for a 30-day public comment period, uses an expansive definition of privileged information, beyond typical classified and unclassified designations. Under the terms of the draft, employees would be blocked from sharing 'non-public, confidential, or proprietary information' or 'any sensitive, pre-decisional or deliberative material that is not currently publicly available and should not be disclosed under applicable law.'"
"This latest move is now directed not at the media but at those who work within the federal government. But make no mistake, it's the media that Trump is trying to punish. CNN's Tami Luhby wrote, "The draft cites federal workers' providing the New York Times and Washington Post with 'unauth""
"Last year, the Pentagon, under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, tried to keep reporters from publishing any information not specifically authorized by the Department of Defense. When most media outlets refused to sign a policy agreeing to such conditions, they were kicked out of their workstations inside the Pentagon. That battle between the Pentagon and the press continues to play out in court."
"The Pentagon even started giving its employees polygraph tests. That practice was halted after complaints. This latest move is now directed not at the media but at those who work within the federal government."
#government-secrecy #leaks-and-nondisclosure #federal-employment-policy #media-access #national-security
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