What does noninterference mean?
Noninterference means refraining from interfering with the autonomy, work, or internal affairs of another person, organization, jurisdiction, or system. In diplomacy, it commonly denotes a commitment not to intervene in another country's domestic affairs. In law and institutional arrangements, it can protect the independence of a body, such as an editorial board or regulatory authority, by excluding outside intervention. Computer security uses the term more technically: a system exhibits noninterference when unauthorized activity in one protected domain cannot alter the observable behavior of another, except through communications allowed by the security policy. The word therefore conveys restraint and respect for boundaries rather than mere passivity. It is especially useful when discussing systems that must remain separate but still function together, whether those systems are political institutions, organizations, or software components.
nounThe principle or practice of refraining from obstructing, influencing, or otherwise interfering with the affairs, operations, or autonomy of another person, organization, or system.
- The principle or practice of not interfering with the autonomy, affairs, or operations of another person, organization, jurisdiction, or system.
- In computer security, the property of ensuring that activity in one security domain cannot affect another domain except through communication permitted by the system's security policy.
"The agreement made noninterference in the editorial process a central guarantee."
"Diplomats discussed ways of promoting stability through noninterference in each other's internal affairs."
"The security model was designed to provide noninterference between the two processing domains."
The word is normally uncountable when it denotes a principle or policy, especially in diplomacy, law, and security.
"The agreement sets out principles of noninterference in the administration of the shared system."
In computer security, noninterference means preventing hidden side effects: one protected component must not change another unless the rules explicitly permit it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does noninterference come from?
The word is formed in English from the prefix non-, meaning “not,” and interference. Interference comes through French from Latin interferere, “to strike between” or “to interfere,” which was built from inter-, “between,” and ferre, “to strike.” Adding the negative prefix produces the modern sense of refraining from interference, especially in diplomatic and technical contexts.
How noninterference is actually used
This is chiefly a formal word associated with diplomacy, law, institutional independence, and computer security. It is also sometimes written with a hyphen, as “non-interference.”
Easily confused with noninterference
Noninterference is the broader principle of allowing another person or system to operate without outside interference, whereas nonintervention usually refers specifically to a policy of refraining from entering or intervening in another jurisdiction's affairs.