Legal
We built this tool to help people access government records while maintaining transparency through anonymous query tracking. Here's exactly what happens when you use this site.
FederalFOIA.com is designed to collect as little personal information as possible. We do not require you to create an account, log in, or identify yourself to use this site. While we maintain an anonymized log of generic request topics and target agencies for transparency, the information you enter into the request builder to draft your letter is never tied back to your identity.
The standard server log data automatically generated by your web hosting provider may include your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and timestamps. This information is not linked to any personal identification and is used solely for server maintenance and security purposes.
When you use the FOIA Request Builder, you provide personal information such as your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address, along with a description of the records you are requesting. This information is handled as follows:
Once your letter is generated and downloaded, no record containing your personal information or full text exists on our systems. However, to maintain a transparent record of public inquiries, the Claude API extracts a generic subject (under 10 words with all personal and private information completely omitted) and records it in a database along with the exact date, time, and target agency.
Note on AI processing: Letter and summary text are generated using the Anthropic Claude API. Input data is transmitted to Anthropic's servers for processing. Anthropic's privacy policy governs their handling of that data. We transmit only the information necessary to generate your letter and generic log entry.
We use a single session cookie to support the rate limiting function on the request builder. This prevents automated abuse of the tool. The session cookie:
We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or any third-party cookies at this time.
We use Google Analytics 4 to collect anonymized data about how visitors use this site. Google Analytics collects information such as pages visited, time spent on the site, general geographic location (country/region level), browser type, and referring source. This data is aggregated and does not identify you personally. Google Analytics uses cookies to distinguish visitors. By using this site, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner described in Google's Privacy Policy. You may opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
When you submit the contact form, your message and any contact information you provide is transmitted directly to us via email. Contact form submissions are not stored in a database and no copy is retained on our servers beyond what your email provider retains in our inbox. We use your contact information only to respond to your inquiry and do not add contact form submissions to any mailing list without your explicit consent.
You may sign up for optional email updates to receive notifications about new features, guides, and resources on this site. Signup is always optional and clearly labeled. Email subscriptions are managed through Mailchimp. By subscribing, you agree to Mailchimp's privacy policy. We collect only your email address — nothing else. Every email includes a one-click unsubscribe link. We will not share your email address with any third party beyond Mailchimp for the sole purpose of delivering these updates.
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing or commercial purposes. The only third-party service currently involved in site operation is:
Letter generation and anonymous summary extraction are powered by the Anthropic Claude API. When you generate a request letter, the information you entered is transmitted to Anthropic's API for processing. This transmission is governed by Anthropic's privacy policy, available at anthropic.com/privacy. We transmit only the information necessary to generate your letter and public log entry.
This site is hosted on a commercial web hosting platform. Standard server log data may be retained by our hosting provider in accordance with their own privacy policy.
Because we do not store personal information or identifiable request content, there is no personal data held by FederalFOIA.com to access, correct, or delete regarding your requests. The anonymized database logs contain zero personal or private information. If you have submitted a contact form message and wish to have that correspondence removed, you may contact us and we will delete it from our records.
If you are located in California, the European Union, or another jurisdiction with specific privacy rights, please contact us and we will respond to any applicable requests to the extent data exists and those rights apply.
We will update this policy when our data practices change. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects when the policy was last revised. Continued use of the site after a policy update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.
If you have questions about this privacy policy or how your information is handled, please use the contact form on this site. We will respond as promptly as possible.