What is an essential requirement for private investigators regarding client information?

The essential requirement for private investigators regarding client information is that they must keep it confidential without client consent. This confidentiality is vital to maintaining trust and ensuring the privacy rights of clients. Private investigators often deal with sensitive information that, if disclosed, could harm the client's interests, reputation, or safety. Therefore, maintaining confidentiality is not only an ethical obligation but often a legal requirement under various privacy laws and regulations.

Keeping information confidential helps prevent unauthorized access and misuse, safeguards the client's interests, and complies with legal standards, including the ethics of the profession. This requirement underlines the importance of discretion in handling sensitive data and establishes a foundation of trust between the investigator and their clients.

In contrast, the other options involve scenarios where confidentiality could be compromised, which is contrary to the standards expected of private investigators. For instance, storing client information in a public database or disclosing it upon request, without client consent, would violate the fundamental principle of confidentiality. Sharing client information with other investigators without permission also undermines client trust and confidentiality. Therefore, option C correctly emphasizes the necessity of keeping client information confidential.