The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. Federal agencies are required to disclose any information requested under the FOIA unless it falls under one of nine exemptions which protect interests such as personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement. The exemptions commonly used at the U.S. Census bureau include but are not limited to:
The Privacy Act establishes a code of fair information practices that governs the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of information about individuals that is maintained in systems of records by federal agencies. The Privacy Act:
You can learn more about the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act by watching the videos below.
Learn about the differences between a Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act request and how to submit a request for each.
Learn about the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act request processes.
The importance of the Appeals process and how it works.
An overview on how and why fee charges apply to certain FOIA requests.