Freedom of information

The federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and similar state laws give the public the right to obtain records from certain government entities. Journalists use these laws, also known as sunshine acts, open records laws, or right-to-know laws, to tell important stories about what’s happening in government that might otherwise be kept secret. While exemptions in the laws allow some information to be withheld, many government agencies at the local, state, and federal level routinely delay or deny records requests without proper justification. Our FOIA Wiki has information on submitting requests, exemptions, administrative appeals, and most other topics related to the federal FOIA. Explore our related work on freedom of information matters below; view a list of all issues and free press topics here.