Communication Exposure Minimization Rule
Use the least persistent channel that can carry the message
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 93%
Kiriakou quotes Elliot Spitzer's escalating rule: motion rather than nod, nod rather than speak, and avoid putting sensitive material in a text message. He pairs it with advice from his first CIA day not to say or do anything he would be ashamed to see reported publicly. The transferable mechanism is channel minimization: before communicating, reduce unnecessary detail and choose a medium whose persistence matches the legitimate need. A gesture leaves less reusable context than speech, and speech usually leaves less than writing. This does not make communication secure, prevent interception, or justify hiding wrongdoing. Necessary records, regulated decisions, and accountability requirements still belong in writing. The rule is a pause-and-select filter for reducing avoidable exposure, not a promise of secrecy.
Origin
Kiriakou attributes the core wording to former New York attorney general Elliot Spitzer. Extracted from The Diary of a CEO.
Core principles
- 01Every communication channel leaves a different record
- 02Persistence increases the chance of later misuse or lost context
- 03Sensitive communication deserves deliberate channel choice
- 04Minimization reduces exposure but does not guarantee secrecy
- 05Illegal or harmful conduct should not be concealed
How to run it
- 1
Test necessity
Ask whether the communication is needed and whether every included detail serves a legitimate purpose.
Pro tip Remove personal or sensitive detail that does not change the decision.
Watch out Minimization must not become concealment of information others are entitled to receive.
- 2
Assess persistence risk
Consider how easily the message can be stored, copied, searched, forwarded, or stripped of context.
Pro tip Assume any written message could reach an unintended reader.
Watch out Spoken or gestured communication can still be observed or recorded.
- 3
Choose the channel
Use the least persistent channel that still supports consent, clarity, access, and any record-keeping obligation.
Pro tip Move to a call when tone and context matter more than a permanent thread.
Watch out Some legal, financial, safety, and employment decisions require a durable record.
- 4
Check the wording
Remove ambiguity, jokes that can be detached from context, and claims you cannot support before communicating.
Pro tip Read written words as if they were quoted alone.
Watch out Careful wording is not a substitute for ethical conduct.
In the wild
Kiriakou says new CIA staff were told never to say or do anything they would be ashamed to see on the front page of The Washington Post. He connects that test to modern technology and the possibility that words can be exposed or taken out of context.
→ The rule creates a pause before producing material that could later be reused without its original setting.
A manager must correct a colleague's misunderstanding involving private personal context. She records the necessary decision in the approved system but discusses the personal detail verbally rather than repeating it across a broad chat channel.
→ The team preserves accountability while reducing unnecessary distribution of private information.
Common mistakes
Treating minimization as invisibility
No channel is guaranteed private; speech, devices, and gestures may still be observed or recorded.
Avoiding required records
Privacy does not override legal, safety, governance, or accountability requirements for documentation.
Using privacy to hide misconduct
The rule is for reducing needless exposure, not evading lawful oversight or concealing harm.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for lawful sensitive conversations, reputation-aware communication, and deciding what belongs in a permanent written record.
Not ideal for
It is not appropriate for evading oversight, destroying required records, concealing misconduct, or replacing proper security controls.
From the transcript
“Don't nod when you can motion. Don't speak when you can nod.”
“Don't ever put anything in a text message.”
“Be careful what you write, even in jest because it can be taken out of context.”
From the episode
CIA Whistleblower: They Can See All Your Messages! I Was Under Surveillance In Pakistan!