konfidentsiaalne

Konfidentsiaalne is Estonian adjective meaning that something is intended to be kept private or restricted to authorized persons. It describes information, communications, or materials that should not be disclosed to the general public without permission. The term is commonly used in professional and organizational contexts to indicate a duty of discretion or confidentiality.

In practice, konfidentsiaalne teave includes trade secrets, client data, internal reports, and personnel matters. It is often protected by confidentiality agreements (konfidentsiaalsuse lepingud, such as NDAs) and by organizational policies that limit access, handling, storage, and transmission of such information. Communications marked as konfidentsiaalne should be shared only on a strict need-to-know basis.

Legally and ethically, handling konfidentsiaalne teave is subject to data protection laws and professional standards. In EU law, personal data must be processed with privacy safeguards (GDPR); organizations may have a legal obligation to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information. The term is distinct from salajane (secret), which tends to imply broader prohibition of disclosure or illegality; konfidentsiaalne emphasizes restricted access and consent-based sharing rather than an absolute ban.

Related concepts include konfidentsiaalsus (the state of being confidential), konfidentsiaalne teave in various contexts, and professional ethics that govern the handling of sensitive information.