Here’s an exciting development for investigative journalists and anyone else interested in uncovering what their government is doing: FOIA Machine, a new service designed to simplify the often arduous, complex, and time-consuming process of filing a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain federal government documents.
FOIA Machine’s creators bill it as a “TurboTax for government records,” and that seems apt–instead of trudging your way through legalese-strewn paperwork, you’ll be presented with a clean, easy interface. The service is already in a functioning spot, but its creators at the Center for Investigative Reporting have taken to Kickstarter to improve design and fund servers. It met its goal just two days. Watch the pitch video below.
