In the world of the PARANOIA role-playing game, ULTRAVIOLET is the highest of the nine security clearances. As the highest clearance, they are the most trusted citizens in all of Alpha Complex, and thus have the privilege to work on Friend Computer himself. For that reason, ULTRAVIOLETs are also referred to as High Programmers. ULTRAVIOLET is designated by the color white, and ULTRAVIOLET citizens traditionally wear white clothing, though any type of clothing is permitted for them.
ULTRAVIOLETs are the top of the food chain in Alpha Complex. Nothing is beyond their ability to control. The average INFRARED or RED citizen will likely never see an ULTRAVIOLET in their lifetimes; this is for both security and comfort reasons. The Alpha Complex that the INFRAREDs inhabit and that of the ULTRAVIOLETs are like two different worlds. For the ULTRAVIOLET, everything is safe, pristine, and comes with its own bootlicker; for the INFRARED, everything is broken, dirty, and not available at your security clearance.
VIOLET citizens, who are one rank below ULTRAVIOLET, are nominally in control of the service firms that are responsible for the entire economy of the Complex; however, they usually end up spending the majority of their time scheming and backstabbing to get a leg up on the other VIOLETs and find the way to be promoted to ULTRAVIOLET. At VIOLET, the resources are luxurious and the access is unbelievable; at ULTRAVIOLET, the resources are limitless and the access is total (or at least, in theory; in practice, your fellow ULTRAVIOLETs may take issue with you reprogramming aspects of The Computer they consider to be under their control). In addition, The Computer protects its ULTRAVIOLETs with ferocity; the VIOLETs are less protected but more endangered, for not only do they have all of their fellow VIOLETs gunning for them, they also have pressure from INDIGOs trying to make it up and ULTRAVIOLETs trying to stamp them down.
As with all citizens, ULTRAVIOLETs have their rank indicated in their name with a letter, specifically "U". "Allen-U-VAR-8" is an ULTRAVIOLET citizen from VAR sector who is on his eighth clone. If you talk to the right people, you will find that there are rumors about a security clearance above ULTRAVIOLET called GAMMA. Rumors are treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution. Besides, there's no reason for a security clearance above ULTRAVIOLET; the ULTRAVIOLETs are in complete control and know and can do everything. We know so because the ULTRAVIOLETs tell us they are, and they would know, after all.
Out of character, the Gamemaster of a Paranoia game is referred to as the ULTRAVIOLET. Players are usually referred to as REDs. This is the way the official Paranoia products are divided; player sections are labeled RED clearance, while sections intended only for Gamemasters are labeled ULTRAVIOLET. If a player read ULTRAVIOLET parts of the rulebook, they would gain knowledge of confidential information. With such unpermitted knowledge, players could easily create an advantage for themselves over the other Troubleshooters at the game! Needless to say, no Paranoia player would ever read the ULTRAVIOLET sections of such rulebooks.
At Paranoia-Live, the Internet's largest and most active Paranoia fan-site, the ULTRAVIOLET designation is reserved for the site administrators. The current administrators are Jazzer, Fargmania, Takyn-U-RUN, and saulres. These four add new content, code new site features, police the forums, and more. The GAMMA designation is reserved for Famous Game Designers, the creators of the Paranoia series and its products itself. Allen Varney, the primary author and editor of the latest version of the game (PARANOIA XP), frequents the site; other authors make rarer appearances.