<P> The United States does not have a broad - reaching Official Secrets Act, although the Espionage Act of 1917 has similar components . Much of the Espionage Act remains in force, although some has been struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional because of the First Amendment (See United States v . The Progressive, Brandenburg v. Ohio, New York Times Co. v. United States). 18 U.S.C. § 798, enacted in 1951, makes dissemination of secret information involving cryptography, espionage, and surveillance illegal for all people, and is thus an "official secrets act" limited to those subjects . </P> <P> In the Republic of Ireland the Official Secrets Act, 1963 repealed previous British legislation of 1911 and 1920 . The Official Secrets Act, as amended, applies to all civil servants and potentially anyone within the state . A suit may only be instigated at the approval of the Attorney General of Ireland, additionally proceedings may occur in camera but the verdict and any sentence must occur in public . </P> <P> Malaysia has an Official Secrets Act (also referred to as the OSA) prohibiting the collection, possession or distribution of information marked as an official secret--an action which can be made by any public officer . The certification of a document as an official secret is not subject to judicial review, and a violation of the act is punishable with between one and seven years' imprisonment . The act has been controversial for its use to silence dissent and stifling anti-corruption activities . </P> <P> Australia has Part VII of the Crimes Act 1914 (Commonwealth), entitled Official Secrets and Unlawful Soundings . </P>

The official secrets act is an example of regulating information in a totalitarian state