The US Department of Justice reported that 1.5 million people and enterprises requested data under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in 2023. This is a record high in the last available reporting year, and as requests increase in volume, government organizations may struggle with FOIA compliance.
Luckily, automated records requests make it easier to manage an increasing number of demands!
Here, we'll discuss how automation is modernizing FOIA processes and bolstering government transparency. Read on to learn about the use of this technology in public records and how it can benefit your government enterprise.
FOIA Requests: Common Challenges Organizations Face
The FOIA lets anyone request access to records held by a federal agency. There are a few exceptions, but most data is publicly available to anyone who makes a written request.
Government agencies, public records and compliance officers, data privacy professionals, and legal counsel professionals must handle these requests promptly and comprehensively. However, this can be challenging for several reasons. Legal and compliance risks are one of the biggest pain points these enterprises face since mishandling sensitive information can cause legal and financial problems.
It's also important to protect sensitive information when complying with FOIA requests. While records are almost always accessible to the public, personally identifying information (PII) is not. It's critical to remove all PII from the documents you are sharing without error so you do not find yourself embroiled in a lawsuit.
Most government enterprises also manage huge amounts of data. About 402.74 million terabytes are newly made each day, which makes it easy for companies to get overloaded and overwhelmed. This can cause you to miss strict FOIA deadlines and waste money.
Luckily, quality eDiscovery software with automation features ensures streamlined FOIA procedures. There are several ways that Logikcull can tackle pain points and improve government transparency, and understanding them is the best way to improve the use of technology in public records.
FOIA Request Intake and Tracking Automation
Automating records requests from the get-go can help your organization comply with FOIA data requests. This is because users can ask for information via:
- Digital forms
- Online chats
- AI Chatbots
- Automated workflow platforms
Requests go to data holders quickly, and you will receive an instant notification that someone has asked for freely available information. You can provide them with automatic, real-time status updates about the documents that they requested and where you are in the discovery process.
Automated PII Detection
Failure to remove personally identifying information from documents before making them available to the public can land you in a lot of legal trouble. Fines of up to $5000 are standard, and your agency may also be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Without automated PII detection, a single error can be detrimental to your enterprise. However, applying quality eDiscovery software from Logikcull:
- Protects you from the ramifications of human error
- Ensures that you comply with FOIA and industry-specific regulations
- Speeds up the process of accessing and processing public records
Our AI-driven platform automatically combs through your documents in bulk and identifies all PII within your data. You can set the application to redact it automatically, which eliminates the need to manually go over thousands of documents and records.
This doesn't just save time and money. It also ensures that you remove all PII, so you can have peace of mind when responding to public records requests.
More Efficient Processes
The ability to find information instantly from thousands of data files makes complying with FOIA requests a breeze.
Managing huge amounts of data will no longer be a pain point for you. In fact, the automated integration of multiple evidence-holding platforms turns data overload from an issue into an advantage. You'll be able to find the precise documents you need within an all-in-one, easy-to-navigate platform.
This is because Logikcull's software integrates documents and multimedia files from several different sources. If your company has information stored in Google, Slack, and Microsoft 365, the application will comb through these apps and extract those data sets. It puts them all in one place and adds a comprehensive search function.
You can also use metadata-based filters to find requested information faster!
Faster FOIA Deadline Compliance
A single click will get all your data downloaded from Logikcull's platform right away. You can access it as a file or share it with the requesting party instantly.
This means you can operate easily under stringent FOIA deadlines. It's also easier to uphold accuracy and adhere to complicated legal standards. After all, the platform is tailor-made to operate within these standards and process data quickly.
You can also surface relevant documents within Logikcull. This makes it easy and efficient to organize and filter data. You can access responsive documents within just a couple of clicks and get the information you want in minutes.
Enhanced Security
A quality automation software boosts security in several ways. Our services are 100% cloud-based, so you can enjoy the MFA and firewall features provided by the public cloud. Access control and data protection have never been easier due to cloud encryption and identity/access management services.
More than that, Logikcull's automated platform reduces reliance on third-party vendors for data access. This is because you can:
- Pull data directly from other applications
- Drag and drop files as desired
- Rely on automatic file processing within minutes
This closed-loop system means that your data doesn't need to go through multiple applications and vendors. There are fewer opportunities for network breaches and data theft through various endpoints. This maximizes security and ensures long-term compliance.
When you rely on third-party vendors less, you can also lower costs and boost internal control of your data. This makes it easier to manage without worrying about a breach.
Invest in Automated Government Transparency Solutions
Now that you know how automation can help you comply with FOIA requests, it's time to streamline the process of data collection and distribution.
Logikcull places all of your data into one integrated dashboard. Its easy search functionality and text-to-speech capabilities ensure streamlined data collection, access, and distribution. Automated processes make it easier to comply with FOIA request requirements and ensure transparency between government enterprises, individuals, and businesses.
We're committed to helping you take eDiscovery processes and legal compliance to the next level. Sign up for a free trial today to learn why over 1500 customers rely on us for their eDiscovery needs.
