Biden’s legacy: Leaving FOIA in shambles
AP Illustration
The Freedom of Information Act gives the public a right to access government records.
The Freedom of Information Act is supposed to shed light on government activity by giving journalists and the public access to government records. But the law is in shambles. From endless delays in response time and unjustified refusals to ridiculously overbroad redactions, FOIA is plagued with problems.
We must fight back against the government’s refusal to comply with FOIA and urge Congress to reform the law and end backlogs of requests, reduce the number of exemptions, and overturn damaging court decisions.
Featured Items
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In a brewing First Amendment fight, California’s Attorney General threatens journalists for possessing a public records document
Reporters obtained a list of police convictions through a public records request. California’s Attorney General, claiming its mere possession is a misdemeanor crime, is threatening them with legal action.
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How Trump’s government shutdown ground transparency to a halt
During Trump’s 35 day partial government shutdown—the longest in history—FOIA requests and FOIA litigation ground to a halt.
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New documents reveal details of the FBI’s dangerous practice of impersonating journalists
Every time a government agent impersonates a journalist to conduct its own investigation, they are putting countless real journalists at risk. The FBI has engaged in the practice for years while keeping its policies a secret, but thanks to documents released as part of a FOIA lawsuit by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, we now know a little more.
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California transparency legislation could improve access to police records for journalists and the public
If SB 1421 and AB 748 become law in California, journalists and the public would be able to more easily access police records like misconduct history and body camera footage, like when officers kill or seriously injure a citizen.
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Revealed: The Justice Dept's secret rules for targeting journalists with FISA court orders
The Justice Dept has kept these FISA court rules for targeting journalists secret for years.
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Introducing @FOIAFeed, a Twitter bot that finds and shares Freedom of Information Act journalism
Freedom of the Press Foundation is launching @FOIAFEED today, a new project that aims to automatically find and surface reporting that uses the Freedom of Information Act or other public records laws to obtain source material.
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How corporations suppress disclosure of public records about themselves
Powerful corporations are increasingly deploying a diversity of tactics to subvert public records laws and prevent the disclosure of newsworthy documents about themselves.
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Urgent: Congress will likely vote this week on controversial NSA surveillance powers. Make your voice heard.
Now's the time to call your member of Congress and oppose warrantless spying on Americans.
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Congress is debating NSA's spying powers. Demand they end warrantless surveillance on Americans.
Republicans want to expand NSA surveillance powers. Don't let them.
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FOIA The Dead, the transparency site public figures are dying to get into
FOIA The Dead, a transparency project that automates public records requests of notable deceased individuals and publishes the results, is relaunching today as a special project of Freedom of the Press Foundation.
