THE COMPLICATED NECESSITY OF (REDACTED) DOCUMENTS IN THE MILITARY
The use of redacted documents is nothing new. Redaction is a legal avenue used in many different arenas to help preserve anonymity, protect sensitive information from reaching the wrong hands, and generally keep people safe. It can also be used as a form of censorship and control. But oftentimes, a redacted document is going to have a legal purpose of protecting a certain party from the consequences of the truth or of protecting them from liability should information become leaked. Let’s explore the subject and see if we can tell when it’s in the best interest of the American public and when it’s total bull(redacted). Read next:Deny It All You Like, Birds Aren’t Real
What Does Redacted Mean?
The meaning of redact is to edit something, often after it’s already been published or released. A common example is seen in declassified documents released by the U.S. government or in media where files have the infamous black lines through, under, and over words. Another popular example is when news sources print or issue a redaction. This is often done when new information is presented and previously presented information was found to be inaccurate or misrepresenting a topic. Redacted statements and documents are important for keeping people safe. There are many people in the military and working with the armed forces that cannot afford to have their personal information leaked due to retaliation. But there are other times when things just feel… off. The government does what it has to do to protect itself legally, just as everyone else does, but the problem with redacting documents is that censorship can keep information from us. This makes it easier for the government to get away with wrongdoing, which spreads distrust.
"That’s Classified"
Project Seen Let’s You Deploy Censorship
Do it for the aesthetic or for alternative means. Either way, Project “Seen” is an interesting project that delivers semi-censored typing directly to your computer. There are three interesting ways to use the program for your redacted content needs:
- Simply type your content in the website to watch it auto-populate censorship.
- Users can download the font and apply it to various creative projects.
- You can bookmark the tool to click on when you visit various websites. The AI will then scan the text on the page you are visiting and censor various “spook words.”
If you’re having trouble getting started, there's a growing list on the page that loads as you visit the site. These are all triggers for the AI to use and a great jumping-off point for creators.
Redacted Statements, Classified Documents, and Security Issues
Trump denies reports of classified nuclear documents at Mar-a-Lago. Political opinions aside, I personally vote as a (redacted), if there are, in fact, nuclear secrets that were taken to Florida, this is obviously an unfortunate oversight and a huge security issue. Whatever the outcome of this ongoing saga, it’s another high-profile example of classified documents and the use of redaction. It’s up to us, everyday Americans, to determine whether or not something being redacted is serving We the People or the self-interests of politicians. Suggested read:What Really Goes On Inside the Pentagon