Sensitive but unclassified was a broad marking for information that was not secret and was still not meant for open release. Agencies used it for many different reasons, and the words did not say which reason applied. Recipients were expected to be careful, without a single rule for how careful.
The United States replaced that catch-all with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). A document now carries a named category instead of a general warning. The old phrase described a habit. The category describes a rule.
Why the Old Marking Was Retired
- Too many meanings. One banner covered privacy, security, and investigative material alike.
- No common rule. Two agencies could handle the same banner differently.
- A named category. The replacement says what the information is and who may have it.
A General Warning and a Named Category
| Compared | The General Warning | A Named Category |
| What a reader learns | That someone called it sensitive | Which category and which sharing rule apply |
| Consistency | Varied by agency | One program |
| Classification | Not classified | Not classified |