If something is said to
you in confidence, the expectation is that you keep the secret, i.e., do not divulge it to anyone – at
all, and, possibly, ever.
It is not
your prerogative to interpret the level of confidentiality as you please, e.g.,
it is okay to tell first degree family members – parents, siblings, and
children; or okay to tell your spouse or partner of the day; or okay to tell
someone whom the secret-generator is unlikely to ever meet.
The
keeping of the secret should not be based on your judgement of the need (or
lack thereof) for secrecy either. (“What’s so secret about having a crush? Let
me tell people about A’s crush.”) Thus, if you think the matter doesn’t need
protection from publication, it is not okay to distribute it freely - the
generator of the information thinks otherwise, and that is paramount.
The
secret is also not a weapon to be deployed in making a case for or against the
secret-generator. (“You say this because you don’t know that A has been doing
XYZ for years.”)
If all
this seems like too much of a fuss to you, and you are of the opinion that once
a piece of information has been imparted to you, the imparter yields control
over it to you, at least have the goodness to declare this before any sensitive
information is given to you. People are suffering enough dealing with enemies,
they don’t need loose-tongued friends to contend with, in addition.
