AGENCIES TOLD TO STANDARDIZE "SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED"

In an initiative with potentially significant implications for public
access to government information, the White House has told executive
branch agencies to develop standard procedures for handling of
"sensitive but unclassified" information.

"To promote and enhance the effective and efficient acquisition, access,
retention, production, use, management, and sharing of Sensitive But
Unclassified (SBU) information, including homeland security information,
law enforcement information, and terrorism information, procedures and
standards for designating, marking, and handling SBU information must be
standardized across the Federal Government," according to a December 16
White House memorandum.

...

As a result of the White House initiative, the category of "sensitive
but unclassified" is poised to become the government's largest single
information control category.

Yet there is no generally accepted definition of "sensitive."

...

The President's December 16 memorandum, "Guidelines and Requirements in
Support of the Information Sharing Environment," including Guideline 3
on Standard Procedures for SBU, is available here:

http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/2005/12/wh121605-memo.html