Under what basis may you disclose non-public information in response to a general inquiry?

Under what basis may you disclose non-public information in response to a general inquiry?

• A. Only with explicit consent or when legally authorized.
• B. When the information is already public and non-sensitive.
• C. If the recipient claims a need to know, please share.
• D. Only with explicit consent or when legally authorized, and always verify the recipient's need-to-know.

Answer: (D)

Sharing non-public information should be allowed only when you have explicit consent or when you are legally authorized, and you must verify the recipient's need-to-know. This protects privacy and confidentiality by ensuring there’s a clear basis for disclosure and that information isn’t shared beyond what is necessary. Explicit consent means the data subject has clearly agreed to the disclosure, while legal authorization covers laws, regulations, court orders, or internal policies that permit sharing. Even with consent or legal basis, always confirm that the recipient truly needs the information to perform their role or task; this minimal-need approach reduces unnecessary exposure. The other ideas don’t fit because sharing purely because information is public or because someone says they need to know can bypass important safeguards and lead to inappropriate disclosures.

Sharing non-public information should be allowed only when you have explicit consent or when you are legally authorized, and you must verify the recipient's need-to-know. This protects privacy and confidentiality by ensuring there’s a clear basis for disclosure and that information isn’t shared beyond what is necessary. Explicit consent means the data subject has clearly agreed to the disclosure, while legal authorization covers laws, regulations, court orders, or internal policies that permit sharing. Even with consent or legal basis, always confirm that the recipient truly needs the information to perform their role or task; this minimal-need approach reduces unnecessary exposure. The other ideas don’t fit because sharing purely because information is public or because someone says they need to know can bypass important safeguards and lead to inappropriate disclosures.