Social Media Monitoring policies (Air Force)

Emma North-Best filed this request with the Air Force of the United States of America.
Tracking #

2017-01721-F
Submitted Feb. 21, 2017
Due March 21, 2017
Est. Completion None
Status
Awaiting Response

Communications

From: Michael Best

Subject: Freedom of Information Request: Social Media Monitoring policies (Air Force)

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

Electronic copies of your Agency's social media monitoring policies, including but not limited to Privacy Impact Assessments.

I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities for AND Magazine, MuckRock and Glomar Disclosure and have an open arrangement with each. My articles have been widely read, with some reaching over 100,000 readers. As such, as I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my editorial and writing skills are well established. In addition, I discuss and comment on the files online and make them available through the non-profit Internet Archive, disseminating them to a large audience. While my research is not limited to this, a great deal of it, including this, focuses on the activities and attitudes of the government itself. As such, it is not necessary for me to demonstrate the relevance of this particular subject in advance. Additionally, case law states that “proof of the ability to disseminate the released information to a broad cross-section of the public is not required.” Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Dep’t of Justice, 365 F.3d 1108, 1126 (D.C. Cir. 2004); see Carney v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 19 F.3d 807, 814-15 (2d Cir. 1994). Further, courts have held that "qualified because it also had “firm” plans to “publish a number of . . . ‘document sets’” concerning United States foreign and national security policy." Under this criteria, as well, I qualify as a member of the news media. Additionally, courts have held that the news media status "focuses on the nature of the requester, not its request. The provision requires that the request be “made by” a representative of the news media. Id. § 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II). A newspaper reporter, for example, is a representative of the news media regardless of how much interest there is in the story for which he or she is requesting information." As such, the details of the request itself are moot for the purposes of determining the appropriate fee category. As such, my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by reporting on it and making the raw data available and I therefore request that fees be waived.

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 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Michael Best

From: Clement, John

Subject: Acknowledgement Letter Best, M

Email

Email to acknowledge receipt of FOIA request.

From: Beasley, Janet F CIV USAF SAF-AA (US)

Subject: FOIA Request 2017-01721-F (clarification needed)

Email

Mr. Best

This is in response to your 21 February 2017, Freedom of Information Act request for a copy of "your Agency's social media monitoring policies, including but not limited to Privacy Impact Assessments."

We are processing your request; however, it is important that you clarify what exactly you are seeking. (1) Can you further explain in more detail what you mean by "monitoring" (2) confirm that you are looking for the current Privacy Impact Statements.

Identification of the record(s) desired is the responsibility of the member of the public who requests a record. The requester must provide a description of the desired record(s) that enables the Air Force to locate the record with a reasonable amount of effort. If we do not receive a response from you by 24 March 2017, we will consider this matter closed.

V/r

//SIGNED//
JANET F. BEASLEY
Government Information Specialist/Paralegal
Headquarters Air Force Information Office (SAF/AAII)
DSN: 224-3025
Commercial: 703-614-3025
Janet.f.beasley.civ@mail.mil
Workflow: usaf.pentagon.saf-aa.mbx.haf-foia-workflow@mail.mil

This electronic transmission may contain FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
(FOUO)information that must be protected under the Privacy Act of 1974 (see
AFI33-332). Do not release outside of DoD channels without the consent of
the originator's office. If you received this message in error, please
notify the sender by reply e-mail and delete all copies of the message.

From: Michael Best

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request #2017-01721-F

Email

I confirm that I am looking for the current privacy impact statements. "Monitoring" should be interpreted to mean "use of" in any context.

>We are processing your request; however, it is important that you clarify what exactly you are seeking. (1) Can you further explain in more detail what you mean by "monitoring" (2) confirm that you are looking for the current Privacy Impact Statements.

From: Muckrock Staff

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Act Request #2017-01721-F

Email

To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following request, copied below. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.

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