Chinese Wall
An information barrier within an organization, designed to ensure internal confidentialityAn information barrier within an organization, designed to ensure internal confidentiality; frequently used to prevent conflicts of interest.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic)An information barrier within an organization, designed to ensure internal confidentiality; frequently used to prevent conflicts of interest.
- a fortification 1,500 miles long built across northern China in the 3rd century BC; it averages 6 meters in width
Origin
The expression Chinese Wall comes from the Great Wall of China and became a metaphor of baThe expression Chinese Wall comes from the Great Wall of China and became a metaphor of barriers, known to go back to the United States stock market crash of 1929. The U.S. government saw the need to maintain separation (or an information barrier) between investment bankers and brokerage firms, to limit the conflict of interest between the two. The first use of Chinese Wall in the general context of keeping confidentiality is unclear.
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Forms
plural: Chinese WallsSynonyms
4 synonyms- a fortification 1,500 miles long built across northern China in the 3rd century BC; it averages 6 meters in width:Great WallGreat Wall of China