Let’s say a friend of mine had a Top Secret clearance and worked on a classified project, and the project ended years ago. How would he find out if it’s still classified?
Well, you could file a FOIA request. However, if this is technical information (say, defense related), it might be declassified but proprietary.
If he’s wondering whether he’s allowed to talk about something he worked on then he needs to contact the Defense Department. You could try searching this site.
Stranger
I am not a lawyer, but there’s one other point that should be investigated other than the current status of whether or not a document is classified.
When folks have their security clearence terminated, they have a sign a paper which says, “I shall not hereafter in any manner reveal or divulge to any unauthorized person, office or organization any security information affecting the national defense, classified Top Secret, Secret, or Confidential, of which I have gained knowledge during my employment or assignment except as may be hereafter authorized by officials of the Government empowered to grant such authority.”
I have no idea whatsoever if that means that the prohibition on talking about “security information” extends to data that was once, but is no longer, classified. That may be a question for the law-talkin’ persons, I just don’t know.
Assuming that the individual worked for the government, he should contact the security manager for the agency that he worked for. If he was a contractor, I have no clue.
(Although personally, I’m taking my secrets to the grave, whether its legal or not for me to disclose them at some point.)
I’d suspect that the act of declassification satisfies the “hereafter authorized by officials of the Government empowered to grant such authority” section of the debriefing agreement. It’s also important to remember, on a the responsibility/ethics level, that information is classified for a reason. If it’s investigative information related to a specific, completed case (with no ongoing spinoffs), it’s one thing. If we’re talking cryptographic information or atomic energy/weapons information, I’d crack the skull of anyone who discussed it ever. Period. The fact that a person possess the knowledge gained from his/her work with or for the government doesn’t mean that they own it; it’s the government’s info. The government alone has the right to publicize it.