Confidentiality refers to the protection of sensitive or private information from unauthorised access. It is a fundamental principle in various fields, including law, information technology, data security, and medicine.
Key aspects of confidentiality:
- Protection of personal data: Confidentiality aims to protect individuals’ personal information, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, financial information, and medical records, from unauthorised disclosure.
- Restricted access: Only authorised individuals may access confidential information. This means that sensitive data should only be shared with those who have a right or need to know.
- Data security: Confidentiality involves the use of technical and organisational measures to protect information from theft, leakage, or accidental or malicious disclosure.
- Trust: In contexts such as the doctor-patient, lawyer-client, or employer-employee relationship, confidentiality is essential to establishing and maintaining trust.
In business, confidentiality may apply to the protection of trade secrets or customer information.
In short, confidentiality is key to preserving individual privacy and protecting sensitive information in many contexts.