Abstract: The invention relates to an information terminal which has at least a basic housing, a display screen, an input apparatus such as a keyboard and/or a card reader, and an output apparatus for outputting documents. Documents which are not picked up by the user are deposited in a return tray. In order to render the documents illegible before depositing them in the return tray, provision is made for the documents to be completely or partially blacked out or to be shredded. A printing device such as an ink-jet printer is advantageously used for the purpose of blacking out the documents. If the documents are printed on thermal paper, a thermal printing line can also be used. A document shredder may be used for shredding the documents.