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muckrock.com
The easy way to request and share public records, making government more transparent and democracies more informed. Learn more: https://www.muckrock.com/
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MuckRock talks with Jamie Kalven ad his landmark public records win in Kalven v. City of Chicago (2014) and how AI can be used to analyze data received through FOIA and hopes for the future of the transparency landscape.

Should public bodies be allowed to hide information from Freedom of Information requests by keeping them in databases? The sockpuppet blog delves into whether database schemes are exempt from the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

Using shelter records from all 58 counties in California, CalMatters reveal how a shelter system that’s supposed to offer a safe haven instead fuels a self-defeating cycle of homelessness, with reporting from Lauren Hepler.

Will you be at the NICAR in Minneapolis? MuckRock will be hosting sessions throughout the weekend:

The Virginia Court of Appeals found that “the names of law enforcement personnel are not exempted” from public records requests made under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, reports Luca Powell for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Looking for alternatives to pricey research tools? At #NICAR25, Sunlight’s @curiousscout.bsky.social joins @muckrock.com & the UF on Sat. to share free tools to: 📚 Find court records 🗞️ Search news archives 🏢 Background businesses & people Add us to your schedule! schedules.ire.org/nicar-2025/i...

A federal court said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement must share more specific information about several redactions in records related to its treatment of transgender detainees, reports Mallory Culhane for Bloomberg Law.

MuckRock sits down with The Invisible Institute’s Jamie Kalven to discuss the landmark public records win in Kalven v. City of Chicago (2014). www.muckrock.com/news/archive...

A recent @muckrock.com hosted discussion on data preservation efforts included our Mark Graham @archive.org, Sarah Cohen @biglocalnews.bsky.social, Jack Cushman @harvardlil.bsky.social, and Lynda Kellam @iassistdata.bsky.social a member organization of the @datarescueproject.org

FOIAFriday is coming up at 1 p.m. ET TODAY. Come join us and we'll be talking about how you can sue for public records, background businesses and more. Register: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

🚨NYC journalists! Collaborating with UVA, NYU, and @muckrock.com, I am investigating the use of tech in journalism. I’m seeking newsrooms to visit in NYC while I am visiting on March 10-14. If you’re a journalist or media professional in the area, please DM me or email me at [email protected]!

The recent firings of staff responsible for handling FOIA requests have left some transparency advocates worried about access to government records under President Donald Trump.

Join us tomorrow for FOIAFriday at 1 p.m. ET. We'll be talking about how you can sue for public records, background businesses and more!

MuckRock has consolidated all of our technical documentation into one central location at help.muckrock.com for easier access. https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2025/feb/25/release-notes-centralized-documentation-and-a-new-python-wrapper-for-the-muckrock-api/

The San Francisco Public Press used DocumentCloud to investigate U.S. military experiments in their “Exposed” investigative series. See how they organized, explored and preserved fading paper records in their conversation with MuckRock.

DocumentCloud is back up and running. Everything appears to be functioning properly, but if you run into issues, please email our support team at [email protected].

FOIAFriday is coming up this Friday at 1 p.m. ET. We'll be talking about how you can sue for public records, background businesses and more!

DocumentCloud is currently down due to an issue with our hosting provider. We're investigating the issue and will update when we know more.

Public access to government data and websites has been increasingly limited after Trump took office. MuckRock is looking for the inside story of the removal of federal government data, with suggestions from you on FOIA requests about federal data removal.

Missouri agriculture groups are pushing a bill that would exempt some information about major water users from being made public.

Data is disappearing. Here are a few of the ongoing efforts to preserve public information. via @muckrock.com

The Human Rights Defense Center is suing GEO Group, a private prison operator, for records of legal settlements and verdicts in Arizona. The publisher argues that the company, contracted by the Arizona Department of Corrections, is subject to public records laws.

The City of Albuquerque’s public information request backlog has been reduced by 30% due to increased staffing and new techniques implemented by the city. https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/city-of-albuquerques-public-records-backlog-sees-decline-as-staff-increases/

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is suspending a policy that allowed for the automatic deletion of instant messages, following a $225,000 settlement against the Department of Children, Youth and Families for destroying public records.

Last week, MuckRock hosted an event with organizations that are helping lead the efforts to preserve the public’s data. You can now watch the entire conversation on MuckRock’s YouTube channel.

The Air Force Research Laboratory paid more than $100,000 to a company that is providing generative AI services to other parts of the Department of Defense, but it has refused to say what exactly the point of the research was, reports Joseph Cox for 404 Media.

Public access to government data and websites has been increasingly limited after Trump took office. MuckRock is looking for the inside story of the removal of federal government data, with suggestions from you on FOIA requests about federal data removal.

Here's an option if you want to learn more about the various #DataRescue efforts. Includes @archive.org @eotarchive.org @harvardlil.bsky.social and more.

Recommend MuckRock. Good source for actual information (not opinions) and how to access the information. Journalism. Transparency. They share everything. #uspoli #cdnpoli

Missed our data preservation event yesterday? We've uploaded the entire discussion on our YouTube channel:

Missed our data preservation event yesterday? We've uploaded the entire discussion on our YouTube channel: youtu.be/hiZuKA-o4V4

This afternoon! Join over 1,200 registered transparency lovers to hear from Mark, Jack + two other special mystery guests!

The Data Liberation Project has released an updated version of the EPA’s Risk Management Program, with submissions through December 2024. It includes risk management plans filed by facilities with extremely hazardous substances.

MuckRock turns 15! 🎉 Co-founder Michael Morisy shares his thoughts on building a community of transparency enthusiasts in this morning's For the Record newsletter:

Happy birthday @muckrock.com and @morisy.bsky.social I remember when it was a laptop and a photocopier. :-)

Mark Graham, director of Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, will join this conversation ⬇️

Join us on Thursday, Feb. 13 as we host a discussion with organizations that are helping lead the efforts to preserve the public’s data.

Thousands of pages across more than a dozen U.S. government websites have been taken down. Take a look at the efforts to preserve federal government data:

MuckRock provides more than FOIA tools, it also provides document hosting tools via DocumentCloud and expertise in public datasets. Join this event! Donate! Set up a MuckRock account!

On Feb. 13 at 3pm Eastern, MuckRock will host an event with organizations that are helping lead the efforts to preserve the public’s data.

Employees working for the agency now known as DOGE have been ordered to stop using Slack while government lawyers attempt to transition the agency to one that is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, reports 404 Media.

Reporter Namu Sampath from The Springfield Republican explains to New England Public Media how she uncovered that a former Chicopee Housing Authority director allegedly made discriminatory remarks through public records.

A very important, and timely, posting. Thanks to @rsanta.bsky.social for putting this together! I also read recently, from @muckrock.com, that over 8,000 webpages had been taken down since January 20, obviously including climate information. Definitely plan on putting this in my upcoming newsletter.

Newly released records on the Panama Canal treaty have been declassified and released to the public and have been published by the National Security Archive.

The Marshall Project has released a guide for reporters on how to report on deaths in jails and prisons. The guide includes specific records to request, including autopsy reports, booking records from jail, arrest reports and more.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of national Sunshine Week, Sunshine Fest is organizing an in-person conference to find solutions to pressing problems in freedom of information and public records.

Because its like Twitter 2009. Here is a starter pack for data initiatives in the google doc. Now we eat lunch. go.bsky.app/6a2mbNf

More than 8,000 web pages across more than a dozen U.S. government websites have been taken down. Here are just a few of the efforts that part of an ongoing effort to preserve public information.