Section 1901.61 - Purpose and authorityPurpose of exemptions. This part sets forth those systems of records or portions of systems of records which the Director of Central Intelligence has determined to exempt from the procedures established by this regulation and from certain provisions of the Privacy Act:
(a) The purpose of the following specified general exemption of polygraph records is to prevent access and review of records which intimately reveal CIA operational methods. The purpose of the general exemption from the provisions of sections (c)(3) and (e)(3) (A)-(D) of the Privacy Act is to avoid disclosures that may adversely affect ongoing operational relationships with other intelligence and related organizations and thus reveal or jeopardize intelligence sources and methods or risk exposure of intelligence sources and methods in the processing of covert employment applications.(b) The purpose of the general exemption from sections (d), (e)(4)(G), (f)(1), and (g) of the Privacy Act is to protect only those portions of systems of records which if revealed would risk exposure of intelligence sources and methods or hamper the ability of the CIA to effectively use information received from other agencies or foreign governments.(c) It should be noted that by subjecting information which would consist of, reveal, or pertain to intelligence sources and methods to separate determinations by the Director of Central Intelligence under the provision entitled "General exemptions,"32 CFR 1901.62 regarding access and notice, an intent is established to apply the exemption from access and notice only in those cases where notice in itself would constitute a revelation of intelligence sources and methods; in all cases where only access to information would reveal such source or method, notice will be given upon request.(d) The purpose of the general exemption for records that consist of, pertain to, or would otherwise reveal the identities of employees who provide information to the Office of the Inspector General is to implement section 17 of the CIA Act of 1949, as amended, 50 U.S.C. 403q(e)(3) , and to ensure that no action constituting a reprisal or threat of reprisal is taken because an employee has cooperated with the Office of Inspector General.(e) The purpose of the specific exemptions provided for under section (k) of the Privacy Act is to exempt only those portions of systems of records which would consist of, reveal, or pertain to that information which is enumerated in that section of the Act.(f) In each case, the Director of Central Intelligence currently or then in office has determined that the enumerated classes of information should be exempt in order to comply with dealing with the proper classification of national defense or foreign policy information; protect the identification of persons who provide information to the CIA Inspector General; protect the privacy of other persons who supplied information under an implied or express grant of confidentiality in the case of law enforcement or employment and security suitability investigations (or promotion material in the case of the armed services); protect information used in connection with protective services under 18 U.S.C. 3056 ; protect the efficacy of testing materials; and protect information which is required by statute to be maintained and used solely as statistical records.