Much of our work at EPIC strives to ensure that the government is open about its data collection and privacy practices. (2/7)

We often file lawsuits under open records laws such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain information from the government about surveillance and privacy policy, which helps us, other organizations, and the public hold the government accountable. (3/7)

FOIA requests are rarely easy—sometimes the government tells us they'll hand over the record we're asking for some time in the next 10 years—and they've been getting increasingly more difficult. (4/7)

The number of federal FOIA requests has nearly doubled in the past five years, according to the DOJ, as staffing levels have remained stagnant. At the same time, the Trump Administration's massive layoffs have hollowed out FOIA offices, leaving them unable to keep up with demand. (5/7)