3 Ideas in 2 Minutes on Codes of Confidentiality
Chatham House Rule, Sub Rosa & Under Three
I. Chatham House Rule
At Chatham House, a British think tank, there’s one rule and one rule only. The Chatham House Rule:
When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.
The rule was devised in 1927. It’s intended to facilitate an open dialogue within the walls of the policy institute. Free of groupthink and without the risk of punishment for wrongthink.
On a similar note, check out my essay on The Tenth Man Rule: How to Take Devil's Advocacy to Another Level.
II. Sub Rosa
Sub rosa is Latin for “under the rose”, with the rose being a symbol of secrecy since ancient Greece. The term is linked to a more subtle way to communicate confidentiality:
Ceilings of dining rooms have been decorated with carvings of roses, reportedly to remind guests that what was said at the table should be kept confidential.
Source: Merriam-Webster
III. Under Three
Under Three is the term for a code of ethics among German reporters. When journalists talk to politicians or government officials there is a need to communicate how the information is used in the reporting. In other words, to what extent information is to be kept on or off the record. There are three options:
Under One: The information can be shared freely and quoted verbatim. The person to whom a quote is attributed can be named. E.g. “Today, State Secretary Bob announced:…”
Under Two: The information may be used without naming the source. E.g. “We learned from well-informed people within the government that…”
Under Three: The information is confidential and is solely intended as background knowledge. E.g. “[…]”
Source: Federal Press Conference 🐘
In case you wondered, the information in this newsletter is Under One. So please:
Have a great week,
Chris
themindcollection.com
P.S.: Check out my latest post on Atwood’s Duck: How to Achieve Perfection