People who don't understand the system think leaking classified data is either James Bond nonsense or its like Trade Secrets where once the cat's out of the bag and its public it doesn't matter.
Say you're arguing about the top speed of an aircraft carrier or some BS, the topic doesn't actually matter. The top speed is classified but you know what it is and its documented in writing you know what it is. You google for the public answer of the top speed. Some wise ass engineer on Quora uses basic fluid dynamics and hydrology principles to calculate it must be darn near Z knots and you know for a fact its exactly Z knots you plagiarize the guy or quote him, BAM if the NYT has an axe to grind about it, you're now a felon. That's how classified data works. Its content based not process based. You can't avoid prosecution using a google search or chatGPT log or a torrent file or a link to wikileaks as a magic shield, the legal structure doesn't work that way, sorry kid.
Another way to get caught is "wikipedia paraphrases the classified document I have including exact numbers and everything ... obviously my classified document must have been declassified a long time ago, no danger in quoting my original, right?" Nope, insta-felony.
Now usually if you avoid getting documented in the NYT, if you are just quoting some nonsense you downloaded from the internet that everyone has a copy of anyway, the punishment is not quite as severe as if you sold files to Russia in exchange for coke and hookers.
If everyone on the planet already knew about it except the American public who paid for it, usually not get into much trouble, but you will get into trouble.
It's an interesting security problem to guard against. If you want to F up the American War Machine almost for free, post a bunch of 'stolen' classified docs on some Portuguese (or whatever) web server and wait for the Americans to prosecute themselves for quoting the posts.
I had a clearance in the Army and no matter how many times they teach the class there's people who just don't get it, even if everyone in the world knows about ... Israeli nuclear weapons, for example, you personally are not allowed to talk about it once you're read in. Everyone on the planet can talk about it and every civvie can have a print out of those docs on their desk, but if you have a clearance you cannot talk about it.
Say you're arguing about the top speed of an aircraft carrier or some BS, the topic doesn't actually matter. The top speed is classified but you know what it is and its documented in writing you know what it is. You google for the public answer of the top speed. Some wise ass engineer on Quora uses basic fluid dynamics and hydrology principles to calculate it must be darn near Z knots and you know for a fact its exactly Z knots you plagiarize the guy or quote him, BAM if the NYT has an axe to grind about it, you're now a felon. That's how classified data works. Its content based not process based. You can't avoid prosecution using a google search or chatGPT log or a torrent file or a link to wikileaks as a magic shield, the legal structure doesn't work that way, sorry kid.
Another way to get caught is "wikipedia paraphrases the classified document I have including exact numbers and everything ... obviously my classified document must have been declassified a long time ago, no danger in quoting my original, right?" Nope, insta-felony.
Now usually if you avoid getting documented in the NYT, if you are just quoting some nonsense you downloaded from the internet that everyone has a copy of anyway, the punishment is not quite as severe as if you sold files to Russia in exchange for coke and hookers.
If everyone on the planet already knew about it except the American public who paid for it, usually not get into much trouble, but you will get into trouble.
It's an interesting security problem to guard against. If you want to F up the American War Machine almost for free, post a bunch of 'stolen' classified docs on some Portuguese (or whatever) web server and wait for the Americans to prosecute themselves for quoting the posts.
I had a clearance in the Army and no matter how many times they teach the class there's people who just don't get it, even if everyone in the world knows about ... Israeli nuclear weapons, for example, you personally are not allowed to talk about it once you're read in. Everyone on the planet can talk about it and every civvie can have a print out of those docs on their desk, but if you have a clearance you cannot talk about it.