Stovepiping
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stovepiping refers to retrieval of filtered information from disconnected sources lacking context, which may in turn lead to decisions lacking common sense. The term also refers to barriers that form within organizations or databases that preclude normal or rational responses to ongoing events. Theoretically, higher authorities would want to avoid making decisions based solely on information, rendered by disconnected information systems or underlings, that has not yet been adequately scrutinized.
In the intelligence community, stovepiping is often used to characterize the inappropriate transmission of raw information to high-level officials that could lead to misguided policies, as sometimes happens with military intelligence.
[edit] Deliberate stovepiping
In some communications systems and organizations, stovepiping may be deliberately used to protect against hackers, or to discourage or hamper inquiries via phones, internet search tools, or other means.
