Disclosure is the act of making information public or accessible to third parties who were previously unaware of it. It may involve information that was previously confidential or unknown to the public.
Main contexts:
- Law and contracts: the communication of information within legal or commercial agreements, often governed by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
- Intellectual property: in the field of patents, disclosing an invention before filing may compromise its patentability.
- Data security: voluntary or involuntary disclosure of a security breach or sensitive information.
In summary, disclosure is the act of revealing or making information accessible, with consequences that depend on the legal, commercial, or technical context.