breach of confidence
Secret telling violation
A breach of confidence occurs when someone reveals information that was shared with them in trust or under an expectation of secrecy.
The term appears in legal contexts—employees who leak trade secrets or doctors who disclose patient information may face lawsuits for breach of confidence.
More generally, it describes any betrayal of trust through unauthorized disclosure: Telling her sister about the affair was a breach of confidence.
- trust violationBreaking a confidence given
- workplace misconductImproper employee behavior
- secretConcealed information
- off the recordNot meant for reporting
- need to knowRestricted information access basis
insider information · whistleblowing · non-disclosure agreement · behind closed doors · duty of care · moral obligation · HR policies · leak · trade secrets · loose lips · slip · legal remedy · legal action · indiscretion · privacy law · whistleblower protection · ethical dilemma · tort law
- betrayalsbackstabbing, cheating, disloyalty, double-crossing, infidelity
- privacy violationsinvasion of privacy, privacy invasion, eavesdropping, identity theft, doxxing
- business wrongsunfair competition, passing off, predatory pricing, price fixing, bid rigging
- tortstort, negligence, tortfeasor, torts, tort law
- unfair competitionpassing off, palming off, false advertising, trademark infringement, misappropriation
breach of confidencekeeping secrets
confidentiality · discretion · trustworthiness · faithfulness · loyalty
breach of confidencegood faith
Sincere, honest intent
compliance · fiduciary duty · professional ethics · privileged communication · confidentiality agreement
breach, breaches, breached, breaching, confidence, confident, confidently, confidential, confidentially