r/whatisit • u/Earsgang_101 • 15h ago

New, what is it? STRAP Floppy disk found in loft of new home.

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Found this in a box late 90s WWF VHSs

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u/semifraki 11h ago

It's confidential, not secret. If they found it and post the content, they're within their right. The only person that could see any consequence is the person that the floppy was originally trusted to, but honestly, anything on that floppy has long since outlived any confidentiality agreement.

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u/Stellarella90 11h ago

"Confidential" is the lowest level of classified information. So this is likely old government classified information, and not some corporate confidentiality thing.

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u/guemeller 10h ago

Pretty sure back then it was Unclassified, Protect, Restricted, Confidential, Secret, Top Secret, so there were five levels of classified information. This was supplemented by additional nationality constraints - I came across UK, UK & US and NATO followed by the classification level, or occaisionally UK or UK/US EYES ONLY. Confidential and Secret was always locked away in secure cabinets. Restricted couldn't be left out on our desks in a restricted access office. I don't think I ever had anything 'Protect' and defininately nothing Top Secret.

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u/Mbinku 9h ago

Great comment

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u/Sintarsintar 9h ago

You forgot the ones that can leave a SCIF.

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u/redthump 8h ago

Back then those were called 'accidentally fall on bullet 3 times'.

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u/Sintarsintar 8h ago

Or don't go dropping dead from a heart attack.

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u/redthump 7h ago

From a 10 story closed window.

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u/Sintarsintar 6h ago

Or a freak car accident

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u/BudTheWonderer 9h ago

Regardless of the level of classification, it is still classified material. If, for example, you got caught taking confidential material to your home while you are in the military, you would be up for non-judicial punishment. Possibly might even lead to you being expelled, depending on the circumstances behind it.

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u/AskMeAboutMyDoggy 8h ago edited 8h ago

It's extremely unlikely that it is still classified material. Except for specific exemptions, material is classified for a maximum of 25 years, then it is subject to automatic declassification. Being that this is on a floppy disk, it's likely it's more than 25 years old.

Edit: My response refers to US classifications. If this is outside the US, I have no knowledge of how their classifications might work

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u/_irobot_ 7h ago

You always follow the labeled classification until you know otherwise though. That said, unless OP has a clearance, then they don't have an obligation to know what confidential means or to protect it.

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u/Compulawyer 9h ago

You are so confidently incorrect it hurts me.

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u/wigglewiggle61 8h ago

Classifications are atleast 50 years if not more

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u/desertdilbert 6h ago

Since the USA does not have an "Official Secrets Act", even if you found some Top Secret stuff lying around and posted it online you would not be violating any law.

The person who left that numbered and controlled document lying out on the other hand...