History Main / ClassifiedInformation

* ''Film/ShortCircuit'': when Stephanie first meets Ben and Newton, she asks them what the purpose of these advanced robots is (prototype weapons).

** Also, ThereIsNoAntiMemeticsDivision. You do not know about it because it does not exist. It's better this way.

* The USA has a "compartment" scheme that goes alongside the more familiar scheme of "levels" (unclassified, confidential, secret, top secret). The idea is that there are lots and lots of people who are cleared to know classified information ''in general'', but that doesn't necessarily mean that they should be allowed to see any ''specific'' classified document; there's a much shorter list of people allowed access to each document's "compartment". For instance, there might be a compartment for all documents relating to the shiny new jet fighter that the Air Force is developing, and then subcompartments for each component. This often goes along with the notion of "need to know", i.e. secrets should only be revealed to people who have an acceptable reason for needing to know about it (the engineer designing the jet fighter's radio probably doesn't need to know about its engines, and vice versa). There's also the sub-classification called NOFORN, which means that anyone who the security rules would classify as a foreigner (such as non-US citizens and US citizens in the employ of a non-US based company) is not permitted to see this information no matter what their clearance level is.

* There's a variation where information might not be ''classified'', but it might be restricted due to concerns such as privacy. In general, mishandling documents with individual's home addresses, phone numbers, or other personally identifiable details can get you into trouble in many lines of work. And then you get into specialized things like attorney-client-privilege or medical information. Leaking any of this information might not be directly harmful to the organization, but it can be very harmful to those individuals, leaving the organization open to financial or legal consequences. A lawyer that breaks attorney-client privilege, for example, can be disbarred, while a doctor that breaks doctor-patient privilege opens themselves up to a massive civil lawsuit.

--> “Really?” Bronze asked. “So just what did you do? The only thing I heard about that incident was that some crazy pony tried to kidnap the Elements of Harmony.”\\
“That’s all you’re going to hear,” Lt. Surge barked, drawing shocked stares and glares from everypony at the table, but he didn’t waver until Princess Luna frowned at him. Under her stare, he unbent just enough to add, “It’s classified information.”\\
“So what do ''you'' know about it, buddy?” Dash asked challengingly.\\
Lt. Surge’s ears laid back in annoyance. “Nothing. I don’t even know what level of clearance you need for it. I suspect that there are only three or four ponies outside of those directly involved who know what actually happened.”

* In ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'', "Classified information" is basically Mikuru's catchphrase ("Kinsoku jikou", in Japanese), since she's a time traveler and she can't reveal too much about the future she's from. She's actually an interesting variant; the reason she says "classified information" is because of an information censor that was placed inside her that is always monitoring her speech to make sure she doesn't spill any futuristic time-breaking {{Info Dump}}s. She's surprised that when the restriction is lowered she can speak normally about things she couldn't say before.

* ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex[=/=]Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'': In both versions of the Sisters arc, when Touma and Mikoto confront Mikoto's clones, they are asked to respond to a code. When they don't respond, they are informed that they will receive no additional information. Which is why neither of them discovers that the clones are [[ExpendableClone being brutally murdered]] until it's too late.
* In ''Manga/LuckyStar'' Patricia Martin (who's cosplaying as Mikuru Asahina) references ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'' by saying "Classified information" when Kagami asks her what's in the juice they're serving at the CosplayCafe.

* The ''Franchise/MonsterVerse'' started with ''Film/Godzilla2014'' has {{Title Sequence}}s using redacted text for both credits and exposition on the history of the title monster. Although when [[FreezeFrameBonus paused right before the redaction]], the combination of text and credit makes for [[CreditsGag funny sentences]] ("The record of monster clashes is EDITED BY JOSH SCHAEFFER, ACE to reflect ongoing battles").

* In ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'', "Classified information" is basically Mikuru's CatchPhrase ("Kinsoku jikou", in Japanese), since she's a time traveler and she can't reveal too much about the future she's from. She's actually an interesting variant; the reason she says "classified information" is because of an information censor that was placed inside her that is always monitoring her speech to make sure she doesn't spill any futuristic time-breaking {{Info Dump}}s. She's surprised that when the restriction is lowered she can speak normally about things she couldn't say before.

* A variation in ''Literature/{{Slayers}}'' has Xellos and his CatchPhrase "This is a secret!" ("Sore wa himitsu desu!" in the original Japanese.)

* ''Series/MurdochMysteries'': "That's top secret" is practically government agent Terrence Meyers's CatchPhrase, much to the frustration of the Toronto Constabulary, who take the view that knowing what's actually going on might help them solve the murder of the week. Subverted in "Confederate Treasure":

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* The Franchise/MonsterVerse started with ''Film/Godzilla2014'' has {{Title Sequence}}s using redacted text for both credits and exposition on the history of the title monster. Although when [[FreezeFrameBonus paused right before the redaction]], the combination of text and credit makes for [[CreditsGag funny sentences]] ("The record of monster clashes is EDITED BY JOSH SCHAEFFER, ACE to reflect ongoing battles").

* Project Genesis, which was a major plot point in both ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' and ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'', is a highly classified project. Just to be read in on the basics of the project requires security authorization from a flag officer, and [=McCoy=] gets picked up by Federation Security when he starts blabbing a little too loudly about it in a spaceport bar (the fact he was also trying to charter a ship into a restricted area of space did not help).
* In ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness''. Scotty refuses to authorize the experimental long-range photon torpedoes Starfleet are trying to load onto Enterprise (and actually resigns in protest over the issue, because of the risk to the ship).

* In ''Film/{{Airplane}}'' Ted Striker tells Elaine the time, approach direction and height of a bombing raid. He can't tell her when he'll be back as that's classified.

* [[MilitaryMaverick Primarch]] [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Victus]] uses this in a rare out-of-character moment to avoid having to explain the [[spoiler:Turian fail-safe planet-destroying bomb on Tuchanka]] in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''.
** Given the context of the game, Shepard can often pull this to avoid having to explain his missions to people who don't need to know. Culminates to when you avoid explaining why [[DaChief Commander Bailey]] should release an incredibly dangerous mercenary leader.

* In ''VideoGame/Halo2'', a Gunnery Sergeant asks Johnson how he survived the [[VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved previous game]]. This is a bit of LampshadeHanging for players who are probably wondering the same thing (the reason is given in ''Literature/HaloFirstStrike''.)

* In ''VideoGame/HaloReach'', the dossier of [[PlayerCharacter Noble Six]] is mostly blacked out, according to Carter, though he mentions that ''he'' was able to access even what ONI didn't want him to know. Supplemental material indicates that much of Six's career which was blacked out was their time as a lone wolf assassin who single-handedly took out entire insurgent groups, a test pilot in a top-secret space fighter program, and as a UNSC admiral's "private grim reaper", the latter of which made said admiral reluctant to part with Six until he was all but ''ordered'' to.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* In ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'', [[spoiler:everything about Dr. Mosely/Zeta and her experiment]] falls under this.
* ''VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney'': Iyesa Nosa and Satoru Hosonaga claim this when pressed on the slip-ups they made during their testimonies.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E9Hide Hide]]": The Doctor easily convinces Palmer he's with Military Intelligence as he knows top secret information about Palmer's service in SOE. How the Doctor handwaves his sonic screwdriver.

* A variation in ''{{LightNovel/Slayers}}'' has Xellos and his CatchPhrase "This is a secret!" (''Sore wa himitsu desu!'')

* In ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', "Classified information" is basically Mikuru's CatchPhrase ("Kinsoku jikou", in Japanese), since she's a time traveler and she can't reveal too much about the future she's from. She's actually an interesting variant; the reason she says "classified information" is because of an information censor that was placed inside her that is always monitoring her speech to make sure she doesn't spill any futuristic time-breaking {{Info Dump}}s. She's surprised that when the restriction is lowered she can speak normally about things she couldn't say before.
-->'''Mikuru:''' I used ''classified information'' to contact the future or for ''classified information''... But when I hadn't heard from ''classified information'' for a week I thought something was wrong. And then ''classified information''... I was so shocked that I ''classified information'', but there was no ''classified information''... What should I do?
* The above ''Haruhi'' example is later referenced in ''Manga/LuckyStar'' by Patricia Martin (who's cosplaying as Mikuru) when Kagami asks her what's in the juice they're serving at the CosplayCafe.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bolt}}'':
-->'''Mittens''': So you got superpowers. Does that make you some kind of superdog?\\
'''Bolt''': That information is classified.

* In ''Literature/TheLaundryFiles'', The Laundry operates on a complicated codeword system. Things aren't simply classified into levels like "Secret" and "Top Secret", but each particular secret thing one might need to know about is assigned its own codeword, and you need to be cleared for it individually. For instance (and an illustration of just how impenetrable it gets), just being cleared for [[StarfishAliens ANNING BLUE SKULL]] and [[ApocalypseHow CASE NIGHTMARE GREEN]] doesn't mean you get to know anything about [[BeneathTheEarth DEEP SEVEN]], [[FishPeople BLUE HADES]], or CASE BROCCOLI GOLDENEYE. The Laundry being on ''occult'' intelligence agency, it's literally impossible to deliberately spill the beans on a codeword to anyone not briefed on it.
** As mentioned below, TruthInTelevision: having a security clearance doesn't mean you instantly have access to all the information classified at that security level. It's why the phrase "Need To Know" exists.
* ''Literature/TheWarAgainstTheChtorr''. A robot is sent into an alien dome to flash it with {{EMP}}, hopefully killing any man-eating alien worms before TheSquad follows. A footnote helpfully informs us that an EMP-grenade will cook or curdle any living matter within a radius of ([[AC:'''CLASSIFIED''']]). A single charge will yield as many as ([[AC:'''CLASSIFIED''']]) usable pulses. There is also the tendency of the flash to destroy any unshielded electronic gear within the larger radius of ([[AC:'''CLASSIFIED''']]). One could argue this is a good writer's technique to explain what EMP is while {{Black Box}}ing the actual technology involved.

* The ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'':
** The main wiki does this with [[[ConvenientlyInterruptedDocument REDACTED]]] and ███████, making a situation report read like a list of {{Noodle Incident}}s. In-universe, if you had a higher security clearance level then the software you were using to access the Foundation's database would let you see what's behind all of the redactions.[[note]][DATA EXPUNGED] means that the information has been removed from the database entirely, so no one will see it regardless of their clearance level.[[/note]]

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'': CT really doesn't want to share his information. It classified.

* Very common in Creator/TomClancy works. The [[Literature/JackRyan Ryanverse]], being about the inner workings of the CIA, discusses classification all the time. Ryan, as an analyst, only sees information as needed for what he's working on. As Acting Deputy Director of Intelligence in ''Literature/ClearAndPresentDanger'', he's told that "need-to-know" still applies [[spoiler: as an excuse to keep him out of the loop of the SHOWBOAT and RECIPROCITY operations]]. When he becomes president in ''Literature/ExecutiveOrders'', things get a little more lax: he'll tell someone "that information does not leave this room", and they nod and agree.

Of course this leads to the question as to ''why would someone even bother keep records of their misdeeds in the first place'', as the only people who want to know about it are either the people already doing them or people who want to access them to expose what is inside. This is the equivalent of keeping incriminating evidence with yourself for no reason.