Redaction

The editorial or compositional process by which one or more agents shape, select, reorder, combine, or abridge source materials to produce a revised or new textual form; redaction alters meaning and structure by the compiler’s choices and can be identified when a layer of shaping—such as harmonization, insertion, or reordering—has been introduced into a text’s transmission or composition history.

The deliberate process of removing, obscuring, replacing or otherwise altering words, images or metadata within documents or published content to prevent disclosure of sensitive, identifying or legally protected information while preserving releasable content and evidentiary integrity when possible.