Which criterion requires that information be owned by, produced by/for, or under the control of the US Government to be eligible for classification?

Which criterion requires that information be owned by, produced by/for, or under the control of the US Government to be eligible for classification?

• A. The information must be held by a private company.
• B. The information must fall within EO 13526 section 1.4 categories.
• C. The information must be owned by, produced by/for, or under the control of the USG.
• D. The information must be publicly released.

Answer: (C)

Classification applies only to information that the government has ownership of, has produced by or for the government, or is under government control. This ensures the government's authority to classify and protect material it manages. Information simply held by a private company isn’t automatically eligible for classification unless the government produced it or maintains control over it. If something has already been publicly released, it cannot be classified. The referenced executive order framework governs classification, but the essential eligibility criterion remains government ownership, production, or control.

Classification applies only to information that the government has ownership of, has produced by or for the government, or is under government control. This ensures the government's authority to classify and protect material it manages. Information simply held by a private company isn’t automatically eligible for classification unless the government produced it or maintains control over it. If something has already been publicly released, it cannot be classified. The referenced executive order framework governs classification, but the essential eligibility criterion remains government ownership, production, or control.