What Does Redaction Mean? Unveiling the Legal Definition

Redaction is a legal term that describes taking a document, or text, and deleting or obscuring parts of it, usually to protect confidential information from being made public. Redaction can be used in both the public and private sectors as a way to protect sensitive information and to protect the privacy of individuals when it comes to matters of law.

Why Do People Redact?

Redaction can serve a variety of purposes when it comes to legal documents. In practice, redaction is often used to protect confidential information such as personally identifiable information, trade secrets, or financial information. Additionally, redaction may also be used to protect the identity of an individual when the document is released to the public.

Examples of Redaction

Redaction has become increasingly commonplace in the modern world. A variety of laws, like the Freedom of Information Act, require certain documents to be released to the public, but the information must first be redacted in order to protect private individuals. Additionally, different states have privacy laws that govern how redaction can be used to protect the identities of individuals or businesses. Furthermore, the federal government often uses redaction to protect classified information from becoming public knowledge.

Conclusion

Redaction is a powerful legal tool that is used to protect sensitive information and individual identities. Because the practice of redaction is so commonplace, business professionals must have a basic understanding of the concept in order to protect confidential information from becoming public knowledge.