What is the Freedom of Information Act?
Implications of Finding People Under The Freedom of Information Act
Jul 1, 2009
The purpose of the FOIA is to provide greater transparency into federal records and to allow citizens to more easily obtain information. The government compiles millions and millions of records yearly, which people can access using the FOIA.
Government agencies are required by law to provide people with records and information upon recieving a written request for them, as long as the type of information being sought after is not specifically protected from disclosure.
What Kind of Information Cannot be Accessed Under the FOIA?
The FOIA gives people access to all federal agency records except records that are protected by a series of nine exemptions.
These exemptions include records:
- Pertaining to national defense or foreign policy and are consider classified by the United States government.
- Concerning internal personnel rules and practices of a government agency.
- Already excluded by another US law.
- Involving trade secrets or confidential financial information.
- Of inter and intra-agency communications that are already protected by law.
- Including personnel, medical, or any files that would constitute an invasion of personal privacy.
- Compiled specifically for law enforcement purposes.
- Related to the going ons of financial institutions.
- Of geological and geophysical information concerning wells.
As far as records pertaining to an individual, it is possible to acquire certain information about a person, but exemption 6 and the words "invasion of personal privacy" can be construed very broadly. This can make it difficult to obtain many types of information, such as credit history or anything relating to finance. Information that specifically names a person, using either their name or another identifier such as their social security number is in many cases protected under the Privacy Act and thus cannot be accessed by anyone other than the person of whom the information pertains.
Information that Can be Accessed Using the FOIA
The kind of information generally sought after using the FOIA involves records about consumer complaints, material relating to investigations, and administrative records. If a person wanted to know about a company's business practices, or records of their complaint history, then the FOIA would be a great source for information. For the most part, the FOIA does not deal with information requests concerning an individual's personal records.
Where to Look for Information About a Person?
The government is bound by many laws and regulations concerning the distribution of people's personal information, but by using a private company, these rules can in many cases be circumvented. There are many online companies who specialize in the aggregation of records, which can be used to quickly and painlessly discover information about a person. These companies can be a great asset for finding the location of a friend that has lost contact or for researching people's criminal histories and anything in between.
Many of the companies offering information will appear to have similar products and resources, so it is important to research them before using. For people who do not have the time or patience though, a few reputable sites are:
The FOIA is a great resource for finding information about companies and police investigations, but for discovering information about individuals, it may be better to stick with the private sector.
