Secrecy
![Secrecy is sometimes considered of life or death importance. U.S. soldier at camp during World War II.](/Images/godic/202501/04/If_You_Talk_Too_Much_This_Man_May_Die_mirror0403.jpg")
![A burn bag and security classification stickers on a laptop computer, between U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden during updates on Operation Geronimo, a mission against Osama bin Laden, in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011.](/Images/godic/202501/04/Burnbag_Obama_Biden0403.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202501/04/Das_Geheimnis_-_Le_secret0403.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202501/04/Edmund_Blair_Leighton_-_A_Stolen_interview0403.jpg")
Secrecy (also called clandestinity or furtiveness) is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret.