DoD releases new manual for Information and Security Regulation

[newyorklily]

The Department of Defense has released its new four volume manual on Information and Security Regulation. Included are these provisions:

“If holders of information have substantial reason to believe that the information is improperly or unnecessarily classified, they shall communicate that belief to their security manager or the OCA [original classification authority] to bring about any necessary correction…. The Heads of the DoD Components shall ensure that no retribution is taken against any individual for questioning a classification or making a formal challenge to a classification.” (Vol. 1, p. 49)

Each DoD component is required to establish a self-inspection program, which “shall include regular review and assessment of representative samples of the DoD Component’s classified products. Appropriate officials shall be authorized to correct misclassification of information.” (p. 13)

Read more here http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/

Since the government has always stated that UFOs pose no threat to National Security, will these new regulations cause more UFO related material to be declassified?

[Doc]

Oh, heck, yes!

[Dragonfire]

Since the government has always stated that UFOs pose no threat to National Security, will these new regulations cause more UFO related material to be declassified?

I really hope so

[Marvin]

“If holders of information have substantial reason to believe that the information is improperly or unnecessarily classified, they shall communicate that belief to their security manager or the OCA [original classification authority] to bring about any necessary correction…. The Heads of the DoD Components shall ensure that no retribution is taken against any individual for questioning a classification or making a formal challenge to a classification.” (Vol. 1, p. 49)

Each DoD component is required to establish a self-inspection program, which “shall include regular review and assessment of representative samples of the DoD Component’s classified products. Appropriate officials shall be authorized to correct misclassification of information.” (p. 13)

This regulation sounds crazy to me:

In order to know about the “secret,” you must have the proper clearance and the “need to know…” which means you are very much a part of the system for keeping this secret (not an “outsider”).

Who within the “system” would say their project should be declassified… assuming they understand the project and the reason for its classification to begin with? The answer is no one.

The regulation seems to suggest the classification would have to be a mistake and there needs to be a correction to fix the mistake. That would also seem to suggest the management of the program did not understand the needs for having a classification, and what they are doing didn’t really need to be classified. Yet, they are responsible to conduct the self-inspection program that has kept it classified until today. I do not think there is any hope of new declassifications… based on this regulation.

The regulation sounds more like a PR maneuver aimed at “outsiders” (who do not understand the system) than any actual policy change to declassify more programs or information. I call it plausible deniability in the face of “freedom of information” pressure, that’s my opinion.

M

[norenrad]

Indeed, to know the contents of classified material, you must have the proper clearance. Also, just because someone has a top secret clearance, that does not mean they are authorized access to any and all top secret materials or any other materials listed under lesser classifications.

Although, someone could have a secret clearance and still be authorized to carry top secret materials, they just don't have the authorization to know the particulars of what they are carrying.