FOIA - Chicago - SafeGraph COVID-19 Tracking (Office of Emergency Management and Communications)

Dear J :

Thank you for your interest in information from the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC). Your FOIA request has been received and is being processed. Your FOIA Center reference number for tracking purposes is: F200802-042020
You have requested the following records: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act., I hereby request the following records:

All documents pertaining to SafeGraph (https://www.safegraph.com/). Documents being requested include - but are not limited to - the following:

- Invoices, receipts, and/or requests for the purchase of any SafeGraph product/service
- MOUs from SafeGraph
- Brochures or product/service specifications regarding SafeGraph
- Privacy and/or retention policies regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Any/all manuals regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Any presentations (PowerPoint documents, slides, and/or video/audio presentations) regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Guidelines mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Bulletins mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Briefings mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Memos mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Any/all digitally disseminated publications from your agency mentioning SafeGraph product/services

To aid in recovering responsive documents, please see the following news article mentioning the City's use of SafeGraph products/services: https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/4/15/21222472/covid-19-chicago-making-strides-against-coronavirus-data-shows (archived version - https://archive.is/ZLv5c )

An excerpt from the article reads: "..the new data released by the city is the use of mobile devices to track and determine that Chicagoans are, for the most part, adhering to the stay-at-home order. Lightfoot and Arwady said the information was provided by the risk software company BlueDot through the data collection company SafeGraph. They characterized it as “anonymous” data gathered from users of mobile device applications who agreed to let certain applications track their locations.

“We don’t know, nor would we get, specific information about cell phone users,” Lightfoot explained. “So I don’t think there’s any privacy issues. And it’s dependent upon one’s use of applications and then allowing access related to location.”

Arwady said potentially “hundreds of thousands” of mobile devices were tracked as part of the study. A check-in occurred on each of those phones every half-hour, she explained. The study assumed the device’s most common location between midnight and 9 a.m. was its “home.”"

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

J Ader

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AAAUgKrPDOzkpVvOc_l8VxhL-TI%3A1jQOBg%3AujDjzhj7tZxw1UiJVP1tcUaqnQQ&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Foffice-of-emergency-communications-6313%252Ffoia-chicago-safegraph-covid-19-tracking-office-of-emergency-management-and-communications-91843%252F%253Femail%253DOEMCFOIA%252540cityofchicago.org
The Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) responds to all public records requests in accordance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.  If further time is needed to assemble and copy all documents responsive to your FOIA request, we will contact you with a time estimate and a request to extend. You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you’ll receive an email when your request has been completed. Thank you for using the Chicago FOIA Center.
To monitor the progress or update this request please log into the Chicago Public Safety Record System. (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HQBImk7-2Bynhw89FmPm6yuaUF8QqDCD5TjEY9mOYh5WN59Qsn5-2F4l364WDz6corPzFpl7tn9Qh6qvLiHIFBzPhGrdXLjfbr-2Fe6DYjCFS6eDXM0e-2FahCCyAyuST8slLKd4mw-3D-3DYEU7_viheFcRLEy8Z8e74Ww6GgNXMbwFT358V74iCSDxEU9WSMv9KXsUQBbQAvQ4lfYeh1f0mDo0LQosPRcSDtvptV41-2FZ2G-2FiSYGrlfizLxR-2FvObNVJFClsbTB-2B5SqKuBntoL8R2oWzyHFkhexRnMN6yOGwF6fkLP1OCX0uEkjf0lX6Ih-2B-2B5EjD5BQEpSFPRN-2BbLE-2FALRqZW-2B-2FqonWcKGbP9iiJG9DyWtH1ysVqskl9ahftpAZb4ggxYw44lGDNQ25NcjlhxjYLF3MmRIkNbH5l9qFNK1huCMZH46lAfSucnFbXSEFVlWn2CnwL-2BBuxYM6tpZYkoSi73IJBIpCcchuBohSz4Y5UF37qC5sEumGWTOTZO8puGjlbUQmWo5FyRUnbThvWHsSxLl-2FDQnTuAAMc1Nkv5MTVYW2VbTaPU-2BrOr21k-3D)

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FFICE OF MERGENCY ANAGEMENT ND OMMUNICATIONS
CITY OF CHICAGO April 27, 2020 RE: FOIA Request #F200802-042020  - 05/04/2020 J Ader MuckRock News Dept MR 91843 411A Highland Ave Somerville MA 02144 requests@muckrock.com Dear J Ader: On behalf of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), I am responding to your Freedom of Information (FOIA) request that our office received on April 20, 2020, wherein you requested the following information: "To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act., I hereby request the following records:

All documents pertaining to SafeGraph (https://www.safegraph.com/). Documents being requested include - but are not limited to - the following:

- Invoices, receipts, and/or requests for the purchase of any SafeGraph product/service
- MOUs from SafeGraph
- Brochures or product/service specifications regarding SafeGraph
- Privacy and/or retention policies regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Any/all manuals regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Any presentations (PowerPoint documents, slides, and/or video/audio presentations) regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Guidelines mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Bulletins mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Briefings mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Memos mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Any/all digitally disseminated publications from your agency mentioning SafeGraph product/services

To aid in recovering responsive documents, please see the following news article mentioning the City's use of SafeGraph products/services: https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/4/15/21222472/covid-19-chicago-making-strides-against-coronavirus-data-shows (archived version - https://archive.is/ZLv5c )

An excerpt from the article reads: "..the new data released by the city is the use of mobile devices to track and determine that Chicagoans are, for the most part, adhering to the stay-at-home order. Lightfoot and Arwady said the information was provided by the risk software company BlueDot through the data collection company SafeGraph. They characterized it as “anonymous” data gathered from users of mobile device applications who agreed to let certain applications track their locations.

“We don’t know, nor would we get, specific information about cell phone users,” Lightfoot explained. “So I don’t think there’s any privacy issues. And it’s dependent upon one’s use of applications and then allowing access related to location.”

Arwady said potentially “hundreds of thousands” of mobile devices were tracked as part of the study. A check-in occurred on each of those phones every half-hour, she explained. The study assumed the device’s most common location between midnight and 9 a.m. was its “home.”"

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

J Ader

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AAAUgKrPDOzkpVvOc_l8VxhL-TI%3A1jQOBg%3AujDjzhj7tZxw1UiJVP1tcUaqnQQ&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Foffice-of-emergency-communications-6313%252Ffoia-chicago-safegraph-covid-19-tracking-office-of-emergency-management-and-communications-91843%252F%253Femail%253DOEMCFOIA%252540cityofchicago.org" At this time, we are seeking an extension of five (5) additional working days for one or more of the following reasons: ( )            The requested records are stored in whole or in part at other locations than the office having charge of the requested records; ( )            The requested records require the collection of a substantial number of specified records; ( )            The request is couched in categorical terms and requires an extensive search for the records responsive to it; (x)            The requested records have not been located in the course of routine search and additional efforts are being made to locate them; ( )            The requested records require examination and evaluation by personnel having the necessary competence and discretion to determine if they are exempt from disclosure or should be revealed only with appropriate deletions; ( )            The request for records cannot be complied with by the public body within the time limits prescribed by the Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/3(c), without unduly burdening or interfering with the operations of the public body; ( )          There is a need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another public body or among two or more components of any public body having a substantial interest in the determination or in the subject matter of the request. Please be aware that the foregoing reason(s) for additional time are found in the Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/3(d). Sincerely, A. Martin - OEMC FOIA Freedom of Information Officer Office of Emergency Management & Communications 312-746-9403
To monitor the progress or update this request please log into the Public Portal (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HQBImk7-2Bynhw89FmPm6yuaVDcsl6IMX6QZPGOKuQ4Dv4s2tqUwxHZc8bngzFXjOMRA-3D-3DOBfi_viheFcRLEy8Z8e74Ww6GgNXMbwFT358V74iCSDxEU9WSMv9KXsUQBbQAvQ4lfYeh1f0mDo0LQosPRcSDtvptVwytnWvCorWpADlEiMSWv3Zbt-2BVz3d0epWDiICvSF-2BaDbjJSxiYKODfOQCSSWgLOCp0bUnSqfWClYlzIMGFoKMsTOPOC2-2FdYi0yZ-2FaO53rPSc0v-2FFr1QJWCvbzKk3gQKNuqCNLhIfwTv425Ud6xcBaOD3PtqoFK-2BRoEnpZ1Tt0Lcw12qF6uswWiw9Hxva2jhwBqGH0242u5ej2Q-2F5ddzhUeGrFCLxxEinl2nNB2il6ae-2BoOZYQKTAL8ax9Ttlo-2F7d1BUXxurFSxVk30KWQFfrqmmbHk0gd5RxnSvE0ZtDTiXi2pm4PhM2k5mj-2F4f-2FrRr-2FDYCJYtPKQJZqbaU9dF4ZUw-3D)

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FFICE OF MERGENCY ANAGEMENT ND OMMUNICATIONS
CITY OF CHICAGO May 4, 2020 RE: FOIA Request #F200802-042020 J Ader MuckRock News Dept MR 91847 411A Highland Ave Somerviille MA 02144 requests@muckrock.com Dear J Ader:
On behalf of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), I am responding to your Freedom of Information (FOIA) request that our office received on April 20, 2020, wherein you requested the following information:
"To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act., I hereby request the following records:

All documents pertaining to SafeGraph (https://www.safegraph.com/). Documents being requested include - but are not limited to - the following:

- Invoices, receipts, and/or requests for the purchase of any SafeGraph product/service
- MOUs from SafeGraph
- Brochures or product/service specifications regarding SafeGraph
- Privacy and/or retention policies regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Any/all manuals regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Any presentations (PowerPoint documents, slides, and/or video/audio presentations) regarding SafeGraph product/services
- Guidelines mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Bulletins mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Briefings mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Memos mentioning SafeGraph product/services
- Any/all digitally disseminated publications from your agency mentioning SafeGraph product/services

To aid in recovering responsive documents, please see the following news article mentioning the City's use of SafeGraph products/services: https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/4/15/21222472/covid-19-chicago-making-strides-against-coronavirus-data-shows (archived version - https://archive.is/ZLv5c )

An excerpt from the article reads: "..the new data released by the city is the use of mobile devices to track and determine that Chicagoans are, for the most part, adhering to the stay-at-home order. Lightfoot and Arwady said the information was provided by the risk software company BlueDot through the data collection company SafeGraph. They characterized it as “anonymous” data gathered from users of mobile device applications who agreed to let certain applications track their locations.

“We don’t know, nor would we get, specific information about cell phone users,” Lightfoot explained. “So I don’t think there’s any privacy issues. And it’s dependent upon one’s use of applications and then allowing access related to location.”

Arwady said potentially “hundreds of thousands” of mobile devices were tracked as part of the study. A check-in occurred on each of those phones every half-hour, she explained. The study assumed the device’s most common location between midnight and 9 a.m. was its “home.”"

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

J Ader

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AAAUgKrPDOzkpVvOc_l8VxhL-TI%3A1jQOBg%3AujDjzhj7tZxw1UiJVP1tcUaqnQQ&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Foffice-of-emergency-communications-6313%252Ffoia-chicago-safegraph-covid-19-tracking-office-of-emergency-management-and-communications-91843%252F%253Femail%253DOEMCFOIA%252540cityofchicago.org"
In response to your request, please be advised that based on the information you provided, the OEMC does not possess any records that are responsive to your FOIA request.
Sincerely,
A. Martin - OEMC FOIA Freedom of Information Officer Office of Emergency Management & Communications 312-746-9403