C. Classified information

Archivists, administrators, and activists usually agree that some information must remain secret: information that, if made public, could cause harm to individuals or the state. The difficulties come around what information should be classified, who makes the decision to classify it, and how those with an interest in knowing that information can declassify it.

The case for MISS classification

The South African government uses a process called the Minimum Information Security Standards - or MISS - to classify information. Different departments develop their own standards for this – from the police and intelligence services to the Department of Health. Under MISS, information is classified as restricted, confidential, secret or top secret. Each institution appoints an official to ensure that information is correctly classified, and that security is in place to protect this information.

Access-to-information activists complain that too often officials classify information incorrectly or unnecessarily; sometimes information is kept secret to protect corruption, or incompetence, or actions which might harm communities (such as violation of environmental protection regulations).

Oops! this has been classified “confidential”....