http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/05/14/its-sometimes-okay-for-democracies-to-pretend-that-leaks-do-not-happen/

It’s sometimes okay for democracies to pretend that leaks do not happen

May 14, 2014 at 1:03PM

by Rahul Sagar

In recent days a storm has been brewing over the Office of Director of National Intelligence’s (ODNI’s) update to the regulations (more formally, the ‘pre-publication review standard’) its employees must follow prior to disclosing intelligence-related information.

Critics argue that the updated pre-publication review standard will “impoverish” public discourse on intelligence policy in at least two ways.

The first criticism comes from the redoubtable Steven Aftergood, who notes that the updated rules instruct that pre-publication review procedures “must” be followed. This inflexible language will “inhibit informal contacts” between intelligence officials and the public, he argues, because fear of administrative and civil penalties will lead officials to shy away from unpredictable and unplanned media interactions.

Read the full article.