I have been a member of various secret or closed online groups over the years, most of which came with the understanding that what is posted in the group is not to be reproduced elsewhere. Usually that understanding is implicit, occasionally it is made explicit, and the rationale is generally the same: ensuring confidence allows most people to be more open and honest about their beliefs and opinions than they would be in a public forum.
I feel myself morally bound by the commitment to confidentiality, however, I can easily imagine situations in which it would be moral to breach that confidence. For example, if a group member made credible threats of violence, posted exploitative/illegal photographs, or revealed their complicity in a criminal conspiracy. These are extreme examples, of course, no doubt all sorts of grey areas abound.
Beyond the moral duty to hold in confidence that which was offered in confidence, is there a broader moral duty to uphold a social norm which looks askance at information leaks from other people’s confidential conversations? Should we refuse to indulge ourselves in leaked information that breached someone else’s confidence? Should we avoid linking to leaks online or referencing them in order to bolster an argument? I’m inclined to think that the answer to all of these questions is probably in the affirmative, because a broad social norm in favor of keeping secrets benefits everyone who wants to get something off their chest without announcing it to the whole world.
That said, I’d be happy for someone to talk me out of that position. When do you think leaks are okay, and why?
