Police social media monitoring contracts/manuals (Boston Police Department)

Dear Todd Feathers
Thank you for your interest in public records of Boston Police Department. Your request has been received and is being processed. Your request was received in this office on 6/9/2020 7:36:18 AM and given the reference number B000830-060920 for tracking purposes.
If this is a media request, please contact the Office of Media Relations directly at 617.343.4520.
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

1) Copies of all department contracts for services that provide social media monitoring capabilities. This includes, but is not limited to, tools that allow the department to monitor social media posts within a certain geographic area (commonly known as geofencing), set flags that generate automatic alerts/reports when certain terms are included in posts, analyze social media to determine which users interact with each other (for instance, creating social network maps/circles). This request should be construed to include tools such as Thompson Reuters CLEAR, which provides additional services beyond social media monitoring.

2) Copies of all technical specifications, user manuals, handbooks, instructions or comparable documents for the above mentioned tools.

I ask that all fees be waved as I am a journalist (examples of my work can be found at toddfeathers.com) and I intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AAAj3SmFwCqGc-tMmfYbORz2o9M%3A1jicUE%3AzW3MMXYsBDUd4Qe-ckFMhleZaUo&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Fboston-police-department-174%252Fpolice-social-media-monitoring-contractsmanuals-boston-police-department-94503%252F%253Femail%253Dshawn.williams%252540boston.gov
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the Public Records Center.
Director, Public Information
Boston Police Department

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City of Boston
Shawn A. Williams, Esq.
Director of Public Records 09/17/2021 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of June 09, 2020., Reference # B000830-060920 Dear Todd : The City of Boston (City) has received your request for public records.  This response applies only to records that exist and are in the custody of the City. See A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, p. 32, n.115.  It is expected that a custodian of records must use her superior knowledge of her records with respect to responses to public records requests.  950 CMR 32.04(5).  Specifically, you stated:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

1) Copies of all department contracts for services that provide social media monitoring capabilities. This includes, but is not limited to, tools that allow the department to monitor social media posts within a certain geographic area (commonly known as geofencing), set flags that generate automatic alerts/reports when certain terms are included in posts, analyze social media to determine which users interact with each other (for instance, creating social network maps/circles). This request should be construed to include tools such as Thompson Reuters CLEAR, which provides additional services beyond social media monitoring.

2) Copies of all technical specifications, user manuals, handbooks, instructions or comparable documents for the above mentioned tools.

I ask that all fees be waved as I am a journalist (examples of my work can be found at toddfeathers.com) and I intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AAAj3SmFwCqGc-tMmfYbORz2o9M%3A1jicUE%3AzW3MMXYsBDUd4Qe-ckFMhleZaUo&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Fboston-police-department-174%252Fpolice-social-media-monitoring-contractsmanuals-boston-police-department-94503%252F%253Femail%253Dshawn.williams%252540boston.gov Thank you for your September 6, 2021 communication seeking an update on this request.  I have copied a representative from the Boston Police Department on this correspondence in an effort to obtain an update on the status of your June 09, 2020 public records request.  I will provide an update to you once additional information is provided to me by the department. Very truly yours, Shawn A. Williams, Esq. Director of Public Records Records Access Officer

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City of Boston
Shawn A. Williams, Esq.
Director of Public Records 10/15/2021 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of June 09, 2020., Reference # B000830-060920 Dear Todd : The City of Boston (City) has received your request for public records.  This response applies only to records that exist and are in the custody of the City. See A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, p. 32, n.115.  It is expected that a custodian of records must use her superior knowledge of her records with respect to responses to public records requests.  950 CMR 32.04(5).  Specifically, you stated:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

1) Copies of all department contracts for services that provide social media monitoring capabilities. This includes, but is not limited to, tools that allow the department to monitor social media posts within a certain geographic area (commonly known as geofencing), set flags that generate automatic alerts/reports when certain terms are included in posts, analyze social media to determine which users interact with each other (for instance, creating social network maps/circles). This request should be construed to include tools such as Thompson Reuters CLEAR, which provides additional services beyond social media monitoring.

2) Copies of all technical specifications, user manuals, handbooks, instructions or comparable documents for the above mentioned tools.

I ask that all fees be waved as I am a journalist (examples of my work can be found at toddfeathers.com) and I intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AAAj3SmFwCqGc-tMmfYbORz2o9M%3A1jicUE%3AzW3MMXYsBDUd4Qe-ckFMhleZaUo&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Fboston-police-department-174%252Fpolice-social-media-monitoring-contractsmanuals-boston-police-department-94503%252F%253Femail%253Dshawn.williams%252540boston.gov I have again alerted a representative from the Boston Police Department on this correspondence in an effort to obtain an update on the status of your June 09, 2020 public records request.  I will provide an update to you once additional information is provided to me by the department. Very truly yours, Shawn A. Williams, Esq. Director of Public Records Records Access Officer

--- Please respond above this line ---




City of Boston
Shawn A. Williams, Esq.
Director of Public Records 11/17/2021 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of June 09, 2020., Reference # B000830-060920 Dear Todd : The City of Boston (City) has received your request for public records.  This response applies only to records that exist and are in the custody of the City. See A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, p. 32, n.115.  It is expected that a custodian of records must use her superior knowledge of her records with respect to responses to public records requests.  950 CMR 32.04(5).  Specifically, you stated:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

1) Copies of all department contracts for services that provide social media monitoring capabilities. This includes, but is not limited to, tools that allow the department to monitor social media posts within a certain geographic area (commonly known as geofencing), set flags that generate automatic alerts/reports when certain terms are included in posts, analyze social media to determine which users interact with each other (for instance, creating social network maps/circles). This request should be construed to include tools such as Thompson Reuters CLEAR, which provides additional services beyond social media monitoring.

2) Copies of all technical specifications, user manuals, handbooks, instructions or comparable documents for the above mentioned tools.

I ask that all fees be waved as I am a journalist (examples of my work can be found at toddfeathers.com) and I intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AAAj3SmFwCqGc-tMmfYbORz2o9M%3A1jicUE%3AzW3MMXYsBDUd4Qe-ckFMhleZaUo&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Fboston-police-department-174%252Fpolice-social-media-monitoring-contractsmanuals-boston-police-department-94503%252F%253Femail%253Dshawn.williams%252540boston.gov A review indicates no recent activity on this request. Should you still seek records I encourage you to file a new request using the City's public records request portal. Very truly yours, Shawn A. Williams, Esq. Director of Public Records Records Access Officer