Open Government Dialogue
« Back To OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm
Use their FOIA logs to identify types or categories of information & post that information online without waiting for a FOIA req
Instruct agencies to post more information online based on requests from the public and frequently requested categories of information requested under FOIA.

Why Is This Idea Important?

Agencies are interpreting the existing statutory requirement (see the 1996 FOIA amendments) to mean specific documents that have been released under FOIA may be made available online. This should be interpreted more broadly to mean that categories of information subject to FOIA requests, not just those particular records subject to the FOIA request, should be affirmatively available online. Federal agencies are likely to make a great deal of information available in response to the OGD in the context of government services or topical subjects (e.g., clean water, licensing records). FOIA logs can help identify categories of information of interest to the public.
Comments
silona 9 months ago
and let's make it citable! that way I can complain specifically about my request in my blog post when my request takes more than 2 yrs!

we could also make it restful so that we can produce reports about the sorry state of FOIA requests too!

citability.pbworks.com
owen 9 months ago
The E-FOIA Amendments already require agencies to: a) make available by electronic means any record requested by anyone that is likely to be of interest to others, and b) to take reasonable steps to maintain records in whatever formats they are likely to be requested. http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/foia_updates/Vol_XVII_4/page2.htm

What is lacking are means of tracking and reporting agency performance in complying with the law.
Related Topics/Ideas
Title
Public FOIA archive on every agency website

Place Everything Public Online Unless the Law Says Otherwise

Transparency Ombudsman

set a time limit for classification review on new classified records

Centralized Digital System for FOIA Requests

Direct agencies to use online communications tools to help resolve disputes over FOIA requests.

Make documents produced by government contractors in their role as gov't surrogates subject to FOIA

Real penalties for agencies that violate FOIA time limits

Prohibit agencies from canceling FOIA requests

Government-wide Leadership, Implementation, and Enforcement on Transparency

Implement E-FOIA’s Public Index Requirement to Start Making Sense of the Government’s Information Holdings

Identify Disclosure Priorities Using FOIA Trends

Require Agencies to Affirmatively Disclose Information to the Public, as Mandated by E-FOIA

The administration should curb new exemptions from FOIA

Empower the National Archives and Records Adminstration to enforce the JFK Records Act

To Make FOIA Work, Costs of Non-Disclosure Must Be Greater than Benefits

Revise OPM Report to Direct Changes in Personnel Policies for FOIA Professionals

Opening our past, cutting secrecy at the source

Promote Open Government and Protect Privacy

Automatic Saving and Storage of E-mails and other Electronic Records in their Original Format

Time to update the Freedom of Information Act

Sunset all classified /non FOIA information

Frequent FOIA on web site

FOIA Tracking System

ENERGY - ALL ELECTRIC HOUSE ENERGY FOOTPRINT ( EST )

Time to update the Freedom of Information Act

Activity Chart
Controversy Meter
Idea Rank : 726