The Official Secrets Act prohibits the disclosure of official documents and information. The Act was first introduced to Singapore in 1935 as the Official Secrets Ordinance. Section 5 of the Act prohibits the wrongful communication of information that is considered sensitive by the government.
People working with sensitive information are commonly required to sign a statement to the effect that they agree to abide by the restrictions of the Official Secrets Act. This is popularly referred to as "signing the Official Secrets Act". Signing this has no effect on which actions are legal, as the act is a law, not a contract, and individuals are bound by it whether or not they have signed the act. Signing it is intended more as a reminder to the person that they are under such obligations. To this end, it is common to sign this statement both before and after a period of employment that involves access to information classified as 'secret'.
The Official Secrets Act 1939 replaced the Criminal Code provisions and utilised the provisions of The Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1920. Amendments were made in 1950, 1967, 1970 and 1973.
The Official Secrets Act 1981 was the final version of the law adopted by the House of Commons.
The phrase official secrets act may also be used to refer to statutes of a similar nature in other countries. Canada's Official Secrets Act was replaced in 2001 by similar legislation titled the Security of Information Act. The United States does not have a broad-reaching Official Secrets Act, although the Espionage Act of 1917 has similar components. Much of the Espionage Act remains in force, although some has been struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional because of the First Amendment., enacted in 1951, makes dissemination of secret information involving cryptography, espionage, and surveillance illegal for all people, and is thus an "official secrets act" limited to those subjects. In the Republic of Ireland the repealed previous British legislation of 1911 and 1920. The Official Secrets Act, as amended, applies to all civil servants and potentially anyone within the state. A suit may only be instigated at the approval of the Attorney General of Ireland, additionally proceedings may occur in camera but the verdict and any sentence must occur in public. Malaysia has an Official Secrets Act prohibiting the collection, possession or distribution of information marked as an official secret—an action which can be made by any public officer. The certification of a document as an official secret is not subject to judicial review, and a violation of the act is punishable with between one and seven years' imprisonment. The act has been controversial for its use to silence dissent and stifling anti-corruption activities. Australia has Part VII of the Crimes Act 1914, entitled Official Secrets and Unlawful Soundings.
