Conspiracy fiction of the type that I am known for relies on its use of verifiable facts to make the reader "believe." In the United States, researchers, investigators, and prospective authors wishing to glean information from official government sources should be aware of the 1966 Freedom of Inforation Act. This law requires most Federal agencies to provide copies of certain official documents to any legal U.S. citizen who asks for them in writing.

The exact language of this law can be found in 47 CFR Section 66 of the United States Judicial Code. You can find this in text format at your local library, or online by web search. Bear in mind that some Federal agencies are not required to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request. That's because Congress has authorized them to classify all of what they do as secret. These inaccessible offices tend to be involved in surveillance or espionage that is directly associated with efforts to maintain national security.

Under the terms of this law, all Federal agencies that must asnwer FOIA requests do have the authority to restrict access to any documentation that they consider to be sensetive. The law requires them to give you access to anything that may be useful in litigation, or a court case of some kind. If you can't justify your information request by those standards, they don't have to fulfill them. This is a necessary protection for Federal employees, who may be called on to testify in a court case. It prevents them from accidentally incriminating themselves, and it prevents you from stumbling on to something they think you shouldn't have seen in the first place.

Information requests are not limited to hard copy documents. They can some times involve asking for copies of computer files. In some cases, you may need to conduct an interview of a specific government employee. Requests for interview are handled in the same way as you would file a Freedom of Information Act request.

Researchers are advised to deal with government agneices one at a time. You should be prepared to file similar or duplicate requests with each sub-agency or bureau within any given Federal department. In some cases, your request can take the form of an open letter. In most cases, individual agencies will have dedicated forms that they will want you to fill out and turn in. Be sure to check official web sites for online electronic filing options.

Expect delays. Each of the Federal agencies you request information from will have their own way of doing things. You will most likley be charged a fee for time and resources that are used to gather the items you requested. It's not unusual for some conspiracy researchers to spend thousands of dollars on long-term projects. If you ask for a two thousand page report, you'll probably get it and a hefty bill for the cost of reproduction. For this reason, many researchers rely on what they can borrow from others, or download at no cost from the Internet.

Before you ask any Federal agency (in writing) for copies of its documents, you would be advised to go online and check its official web site. As computing technology and long-term data storage becomes cheaper, you will encounter more Federal agencies willing to put their non-sensitive information (which may include some other media) in to electronic archives. These are almost always accessible to anyone for no charge.

Some researchers are not comfortable with the idea of leaving a paper trail that can allow investigators to back-track an information request to them. For this reason, many avoid making written or electronic requests which often require a valid mailing address. In some cases, concerned researchers have been known to use paid post office boxes that are not associated with their place of residence to fulfill the filing requirement for a lawful mailing address.

As previously stated, the provisions in this law do not require a Federal agency to turn over copies of any and all of their documents. The truth is that many agencies are hostile to FOIA requests, and the people tasked with turning over what you asked for may apply some very creative interpretations to the leeway granted under the law. For this reason, you'll need to phrase your actual requests very carefully. It may be necessary to file more than one request with an agency to get what you want. Even if you can pay for everything that you're interested in, you'll have to contend with the rigors of bureaucracy which may prevent you from getting it.

When spelling out what you want by open letter or by electronic form, you should avoid lengthy descriptions. Don't give in to the temptation to justify yourself. As a professional matter, none of the agency officials who process your order will be persuaded to give in to your demands because you're trying so very hard to prove a really cool conspiracy theory.

Some researchers like to go on "fishing expeditions" to uncover new evidence that backs up their theory. In many cases, this means submitting deliberately vague requests for information that could be interpreted by anyone to mean almost anything. Some researchers are known to put a twist on this tactic by asking specifically for things that shouldn't exist. This may seem silly, but it's worth noting that the Federal government is under no obligation at all to tell you what it has in its records archives.

If you can't access the official web site of a Federal agency that you'd like to get information from, try calling them by phone. Most of the telephone numbers you will need to get started can be found in your local phone book. Ask for the agency's FOIA officer (pronounced phonetically as foy-uh), and be prepared to write down the details they provide. Because the law requires that you submit your information request in writing, you will not be able to place your order over the phone.

The following is a short list of book that you can get to learn more about the Freedom of Information Act. Look for these publicans online to find the best prices. In some cases, you may be able to sit and read them at your local library. You may also find many essays online that will deal with the finer legal details of this law.

Committee on Armed Services, U.S. House of Representatives. A Citizen's Guide On Using The Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records. Government Printing Office, 05/04. 86 pages. ISBN 0160681278

Henry, Christopher L. Freedom of Information Act. Novinka Books, 04/03. 124 pages. ISBN 1590337204

Maida, Pamela, and Office of Information and Privacy, U.S. Department of Justice. Freedom of Information Act Guide & Privacy Act Overview. U.S. Government Printing Office, 07/04. 1120 pages. ISBN 0160722934

Wadham, John, Jonathan Griffiths, and Richard Thomas. Blackstone's Guide to the Freedom of Information Act. Oxford University Press, 2nd ed., 03/05. 344 pages. 0199277648

Good job Justin. I have often wondered just how much trouble one could get into by looking for the right information or should I say wrong. Do you suppose people get "flagged" for looking into certain info? If they do , just what could happen? I waited quite awhile before even joining ats because I needed to feel secure to protect my family and because of my insatiable curiosity and need to know, I never wanted to jepordize them. Staying on the edge you could say. No longer choosing to compromise what I know to be the truth reguardless of my affiliations, finally got involved and I joined. There was a point of paranoia that I had to pass through before I could take the next step, you know what I mean? I know that I never wanted to end up on one of those pick up lists when SHTF, but oh well I am braver now and much less paranoid, I guess the truth can set you free.

Very informative post Justin

I was wondering have you used the information you supplied in your post to
access 'hard to get' information on any topical issues, events etc. or have you learned anything or discovered anything from doing so that may not have been made public knowledge?

Thanks.

Originally posted by pmexplorer
Very informative post Justin

I was wondering have you used the information you supplied in your post to access 'hard to get' information on any topical issues, events etc. or have you learned anything or discovered anything from doing so that may not have been made public knowledge?

I did use the FOIA for certain pieces of my book. While I was a Federal civil servant, I kept tucking things away as I found them. In my last job as a BLM contact rep, I was able to make FOIA requests through in-house channels which saved me some money. I used the FOIA again after I left Federal service to get a few minor things that I needed just to fact check my what went in to my book.

When you think of "hard to get," consider that you might want to ask about in-house memos and directives that most people might not even know about. Some conspiracy hunters look at budget numbers, trying to sift what's real and what's actually black bag. Most of what you end up asking for turns out to be boring and of no use...but every now and then...

"...but every now and then..." Someone sneezes.


Looks like Freedom of Information is not so free.

Some researchers are known to put a twist on this tactic by asking specifically for things that shouldn't exist. This may seem silly, but it's worth noting that the Federal government is under no obligation at all to tell you what it has in its records archives.

heh heh, crafty.

Under the terms of this law, all Federal agencies that must asnwer FOIA requests do have the authority to restrict access to any documentation..."

Cats and mice as they say on the prairies.

A lot of people come to ATS knowing that they want to do their own homework, but they don't know the basics of research methodology. I wanted to post this information here so that anyone can learn from it and do their own homework. The things you learn for yourself always means more to you than what other people say.

Originally posted by Justin Oldham
This law requires most Federal agencies to provide copies of certain official documents to any legal U.S. citizen who asks for them in writing.

FOIA is not limited to U.S. citizens. I'm a German, and I acquired copies of many U.S. Department of Defense records via FOIA requests.

Regards
yf

Originally posted by yfxxx
FOIA is not limited to U.S. citizens. I'm a German, and I acquired copies of many U.S. Department of Defense records via FOIA requests.

That's true, and I didn't even stop to think about it. Thanks for point it out. I encourage anyone who isn't afraid to dig to use FOIA while you still can. There's just no way to know what you might find.
't

Ive heard about the FOIA alot and i know a site where they have 10's of 1000's of files from it, aint sure if i can give out address s i wont. Any way is there a FOIA in place in the UK ? if so can some one tell me abit about it, i would love to go down to london and find a load of stuff out.

Take care every one, Vix


p.s justin im a big fan of yours, your doing a great job here