What is Confidentiality?
Confidentiality refers to the concept that individuals, businesses or organizations have the obligation to protect and not wrongfully disclose or misuse personal information.
Confidentiality is often referenced in the context of a relationship with a confidential advisor, such as a doctor, therapist or lawyer. Such advisors are under an ethical duty not to disclose confidential information of their patients or clients.
Confidentiality is different from privacy in that privacy is the right to control a person’s personal information, whereas confidentiality has more to do with non-disclosure of that information.