Espionage Act

Wartime disclosure statute

A U.S. federal law enacted in 1917 prohibiting interference with military operations, support for enemies during wartime, and unauthorized disclosure of national defense information.

Originally targeting wartime spies and saboteurs, the Act has been used to prosecute whistleblowers and journalists' sources who leak classified material: He was charged under the Espionage Act for sharing documents with reporters.

Related

World War IFirst global military conflict
loose lipsHabit of revealing secrets
foreign agentsRepresentatives of another nation
Red ScareAnti-communist hysteria period
national securitySafeguarding a country's interests

state secrets · classified documents · top secret · Edward Snowden · Julian Assange · Cold War · McCarthyism · leak investigation · COINTELPRO · deep state · Pentagon Papers · Wikileaks · Spycraft · Woodrow Wilson

Opposites

GOVERNMENT SECRECY vs. TRANSPARENCY

Espionage ActFOIA

Federal transparency statute

sunshine laws · declassification · right to know

PROSECUTION vs. PROTECTION OF LEAKERS

Espionage Actwhistleblower protection

Laws shielding those who report misconduct

INFORMATION CONTROL vs. INFORMATION FREEDOM

Espionage ActFirst Amendment

Constitutional free expression guarantee

freedom of the press · press freedom · open society

Family

espionage, act, spy, spies, spying, spied, acts, acted, acting

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Mostly American · Timeless · Rated PG