Aliases
Disambiguation
FOIA Exemption (b)(6) is distinct from Exemption 7(C), which covers law enforcement investigative files; (b)(6) uses the stricter 'clearly unwarranted' standard and applies to all personnel and medical files.
Stats
Concept
A U.S. federal privacy exemption authorizing agencies to withhold disclosure of personnel, medical, and similar files when revealing them would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, subject to balancing against public interest.
Uma isenção de privacidade federal dos EUA que autoriza agências a reter a divulgação de arquivos de pessoal, médicos e similares quando revelar tais informações constituiria uma invasão claramente injustificável da privacidade pessoal, sujeita ao balanceamento contra o interesse público.
Enrichment
- Exemption 6 - FOIA.WikiFOIA.Wiki▎ high· 2026-05-14
- Protects personnel and medical files from disclosure that would constitute clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy
- Applies balancing test between privacy interest and public interest
- Covers names, addresses, Social Security numbers, medical records, and other identifying information
- Does not protect business information or public figures
- Stricter standard ('clearly unwarranted') than Exemption 7(C)
- Guide to FOIA ExemptionsU.S. Air Force▎ high· 2026-05-14
- Federal agencies use (b)(6) to withhold personally identifiable information
- Applicable to government records concerning named individuals
- Standard application includes redaction of names, contact information, and medical records
- FOIA.gov - Frequently Asked QuestionsU.S. Department of Justice▎ high· 2026-05-14
- Official U.S. government FOIA guidance and FAQ
- Covers all nine exemptions including (b)(6)
- Explains balancing test and practical application of privacy exemptions
FOIA Exemption (b)(6)
Description (EN)
Stub generated by entity dedup. Will be enriched in Phase 6.
Descrição (PT-BR)
Stub gerado pela deduplicação de entidades. Será enriquecido na Fase 6.
<!-- enrichment:start -->Enrichment (EN)
Disambiguation: FOIA Exemption (b)(6) is distinct from Exemption 7(C), which covers law enforcement investigative files; (b)(6) uses the stricter 'clearly unwarranted' standard and applies to all personnel and medical files.
FOIA Exemption (b)(6) is a legal provision under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) that authorizes federal agencies to withhold disclosure of 'personnel and medical files and similar files' when such disclosure would constitute a 'clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.' The exemption applies a balancing test that weighs the privacy interests of individuals against the public interest in government transparency. Protected information includes names, home addresses, Social Security numbers, medical records, and identifying information of individuals who might face harassment or injury if disclosed. In practice, it is frequently invoked in UAP/UFO-related document releases to redact names of military personnel, pilots, scientists, and witnesses, as well as medical examination records and other personally identifying details.
Enriquecimento (PT-BR)
Desambiguação: FOIA Exemption (b)(6) is distinct from Exemption 7(C), which covers law enforcement investigative files; (b)(6) uses the stricter 'clearly unwarranted' standard and applies to all personnel and medical files.
A Isenção (b)(6) da Lei de Liberdade de Informação (FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552) é uma disposição legal que autoriza agências federais dos EUA a reter a divulgação de 'arquivos de pessoal e médicos e arquivos similares' quando tal divulgação constituiria uma 'invasão claramente injustificável da privacidade pessoal'. A isenção aplica um teste de balanceamento que pondera os interesses de privacidade dos indivíduos contra o interesse público na transparência governamental. As informações protegidas incluem nomes, endereços residenciais, números de Seguro Social, registros médicos e informações de identificação de indivíduos que poderiam sofrer assédio ou dano se divulgados. Na prática, é frequentemente invocada em liberações de documentos relacionados a UAP/OVNI para redigir nomes de pessoal militar, pilotos, cientistas e testemunhas, bem como registros de exames médicos e outros detalhes de identificação pessoal.
External Sources
- Exemption 6 - FOIA.Wiki · FOIA.Wiki · reliability:
high— Protects personnel and medical files from disclosure that would constitute clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; Applies balancing test between privacy interest and public interest; Covers names, addresses, Social Security numbers, medical records, and other identifying information; Does not protect business information or public figures; Stricter standard ('clearly unwarranted') than Exemption 7(C) - Guide to FOIA Exemptions · U.S. Air Force · reliability:
high— Federal agencies use (b)(6) to withhold personally identifiable information; Applicable to government records concerning named individuals; Standard application includes redaction of names, contact information, and medical records - FOIA.gov - Frequently Asked Questions · U.S. Department of Justice · reliability:
high— Official U.S. government FOIA guidance and FAQ; Covers all nine exemptions including (b)(6); Explains balancing test and practical application of privacy exemptions