The CIA’s FOIA office has for years relied on a single fax machine, prompting jokes and criticism regarding the otherwise cutting-edge CIA insistence on the ‘80s technology instead of email. So why, in 2016, when the CIA finally implemented an email account for FOIA for requesters to use, wasn’t there greater fanfare? Because the CIA never told requesters about it.

Our weekly series looking at the stories public records made possible, coming soon to a fax machine near you.

Yesterday, when Emma Best broke the news that the FBI would be shutting down its FOIA email address and directing all online submissions through its online portal, a few people sensibly asked just how bad that portal could be. We’re here to tell you how bad.

Former Secretary-General of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali died earlier this year at the age of 93. Nobody seems to have told the CIA.

Kim Davis has deeply held beliefs on handing over her emails. Where Kentucky law commands officials to provide documents in digital format, the county clerk says she’s “old school on this email stuff” and insists on printing them out, at considerable cost and delay.