segretezza

Segretezza is the state or practice of keeping information hidden or protected from unauthorized disclosure. In Italian usage, it encompasses personal privacy, professional confidentiality, and the protection of state or organizational secrets, as well as the discipline of limiting access to sensitive information. The term is the abstract noun formed from segreto (secret), itself from Latin secretus, meaning hidden or separated.

In everyday life, segretezza appears as personal confidentiality—such as medical, legal, or journalistic confidentiality—where information is transmitted under an obligation not to reveal it. In professional domains, rules of segretezza govern communications between doctors and patients, lawyers and clients, and journalists and sources, often reinforced by ethical codes or legal protections. In public institutions, segretezza extends to state secrets or security-sensitive data, with classifications that restrict access under national security or public-interest rules.

Contemporary discussions balance segretezza with transparency. Data protection laws and privacy principles promote controlled disclosure, limiting the collection, storage, and processing of personal data, while accountability requires some information to be public. Critics argue excessive segretezza can erode trust, hinder oversight, or conceal wrongdoing; defenders claim it protects individuals’ safety and essential functions of governance or competitive advantage.

Overall, segretezza denotes the quality or policy of keeping information confidential, a dimension that interacts with law, ethics, technology, and culture to shape how societies manage the tension between privateness and openness.