Accessing Classified Information

Classified information is government material that officials have marked as too sensitive to share because its release could harm national security. The topic covers how documents get a classification level, who may see them, how long secrets stay secret, and how information is reviewed and released. Agencies that classify records, the president, Congress, courts, and independent review bodies all play a part.

People usually bring questions about how a document becomes classified and who decides. They ask how the public can request a review of a classified record, what happens when secret information is leaked or published, and how officials balance secrecy against the public's interest in knowing.