It depends on the context. If it is information that no other party has the right to know and which doesn't affect anyone else adversely then it's in no way equivalent to lying. Withholding information could be described as privacy in that context.

Well sometimes there a reasons for that.

Maybe a person knows how someone will reacting to hearing a certain bit of info so they're protecting them from themselves.

Maybe its not the right time. Maybe they need to see or do something before its the right time to find out?

During a sort of interigation, maybe i dont want you to know what i know until you say what i need you to say?

Thier are sometimes good reasons to withhold informtaion.

Lying is blatantly giving the wrong information to either hide or trick someone, usually for personal gain or to get out of a situation.

It's called lying through omission

Great question! Many times I keep my mouth shut because I feel that if I feel that in telling the person something they will later either use it against me or make me regret it....so that's not really lying, it's self-preservation.

Witholding information is different from lying.

Lying is giving false and/or misleading information, whereas witholding information constitutes as not offering any information of any kind at all.

No

Context is of matter, even if it's not lying it could be obstruction in fact finding and thereby suppress truth.

How is withholding any information that the entity the information is about asked not to leak anywhere equivalent to lying?

I tend to feel intent matters here. If information is withheld for the selfish purpose of deception, it’s an equivalent to lying, as the only difference there is that you left a blank rather than filling it in with fiction.

If I know Ted in Accounting has a crush on you and I don’t tell you, that feels more like minding my own beeswax than lying.

Lying by omission…Intent matters here.

Only answer what they ask and be vague

it's Dishonest which is Lying's twin

Withholding info is my thing 😇

If the intent is to deceive, yes.

No. We are under no obligation to tell knowledge to anyone just because they want it. Even the law states.. "you have the right to remain silent".

@CourtneyL🤔no as you have not directly told a lie you have witheld information that maybe more betrayal

There's a reason you "swear to tell the truth, the WHOLE truth, and nothing but the truth" in Court.

Yeah it's dishonest .. as my uncle would say "a half truth is still a whole lie"

Lack of Candor is half a scootch from lying in my book.

Withholding or not disclosing is the same.

just like outright lying....... its deception

It’s dishonest certainly.

Technically yes

Yes

No