Disclosure refers to the act of making information public or accessible to third parties who did not initially know of it. In a general context, it means sharing or revealing information that was previously confidential or unknown to the public.
Contexts of disclosure:
- Law and contracts: In legal or commercial agreements, disclosure often refers to the communication of information, particularly in the context of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) where the parties undertake not to disclose sensitive information.
- Intellectual property: In the field of patents, the disclosure of an invention is an important process. If an invention is disclosed publicly before a patent application is filed, this may affect the possibility of patenting the invention.
- Data security: In the field of IT security, disclosure refers to the revelation of a security breach or sensitive data, whether intentional or not.
In summary, disclosure is the act of revealing or making information accessible, with implications that vary depending on the context, whether legal, commercial, or personal.