Out of state records requesters face unclear guidelines in New Jersey
While most states have clear guidelines over whether out of state requests can be rejected, others aren’t so clear - in New Jersey, the Open Public Records Act and governing entities often have contrasting views.
How are police departments using license plate reader technology? Your feedback is helping us find out
Over 100 additional requests related to police departments’ use of automated license plate recognition technology have been submitted to government agencies identified by MuckRock readers as needing further scrutiny.
Upcoming Supreme Court case could hand broadened FOIA censorship powers to corporations
Does your right to know which companies are receiving your tax dollars outweigh those companies’ rights to competitive secrets? That’s the question at stake in an upcoming Supreme Court case set to be heard in April, and the result could either cement the public’s right to know or severely restrict the ability to track the flow of tax dollars into private companies.
New York court rules NYPD can’t use Glomar to keep surveillance records secret
Secretive federal agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are notorious for refusing to confirm or deny the existence of their records. The issue becomes trickier when local law enforcement agencies, tasked with serving their communities, reply to public records requests in similar fashion. The New York Police Department has used the infamous “Glomar response” in the past to keep records secret, but this week a New York court ruled that the NYPD can’t use it this time.
The Secret Scandals of the Trump Administration Project enters the new year
A little more than a month after MuckRock launched The Secret Scandals of the Trump Administration project, we’ve submitted dozens of FOIA requests, and received a handful of excellent tips from our readers. A number of these tips have been especially helpful: we’ve even heard from former government employees with first-hand knowledge of potential scandals in some government agencies.
Projects See all
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Subjects Matter: FBI Files
★ Featured- Contribute
- 43% funded
- $2150.00 raised
- 19 backers
This project aims to sift through the hundreds of thousands of pages of FBI archival material we've released, so we can better understand why the Bureau had an eye on these people - and through that, better understand who they're keeping tabs on today. -
Exploring America's Nonconsensual Pornography Laws
★ FeaturedNonconsensual pornography (NCP) is the act of distributing pornographic images of individuals without their consent. Victims report feelings of humiliation, distress, and shame. Because of the nature of the internet, it can be difficult to completely take down victims' images, and they can be circulated years after the initial posting. -
Sunshine Spotlight: Massachusetts
★ FeaturedWe'll be shining a light on your Bay State public records struggle! Trouble getting meeting minutes from your city council? Are your local police refusing to release logs or other public information? Whatever your public records struggle, we want to hear about it! -
Secret Scandals of the Trump Administration
★ FeaturedExploring and exposing the Trump Administration’s lesser known, but no less damaging policies.