Event Recap: FOIA AUTOMATION
Why care about FOIA? Federal agencies are inundated with FOIA requests that create considerable challenges for those tasked with processing them. Dan Manners of Archive360 said what we are seeing now “is the explosion of growth of data.” And according to Meredith Perry with Relativity, what compounds this is “the diversity of data types, formats and where it’s stored. . .as well as the immense pressure to respond immediately.” To address this growing complexity and pressure, Ray Davis from Feith Systems asserted that agencies must effectively manage records as part of the solution, given that, from his perspective, “records are the heartbeat of effective FOIA.” Lastly, agencies must consider challenges with “online data sources, such as agency websites, social media accounts and chat platforms,” according to Pagefreezer’s Peter Boulton.
In this two-and-a-half-hour webinar, eight industry experts discussed the latest in digital tools that enable agencies to increase response time, cultivate better user experience, and comply with regulations. Specifically, they provided information on:
- Key challenges agencies are facing with FOIA requests
- Lessons learned from FOIA Machine Learning Pilot programs
- Declassification, bias, policy, governance, and teamwork
- Aligning AI with FOIA for enhanced CX
- Demos of the latest platforms that support FOIA automation
- Overdependence on and cost associated with using legacy systems
- How to handle changes in state and federal data privacy laws.
- Next biggest challenges for FOIA processing in the government 2024 fiscal year
- FOIA automation for websites and social media
- NARA self-assessments