Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a US federal law that requires the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased or uncirculated government information and documents upon request. The act defines agency records subject to disclosure, outlines mandatory disclosure procedures, and includes nine exemptions that define categories of information not subject to disclosure. It was intended to make government agencies' functions more transparent and allow the public to identify problems in government functioning. The FOIA has been changed repeatedly and is commonly invoked by news organizations, but most requests are made by businesses, law firms, and individuals.learn more on wikipedia