topic Re: FOIA Request? in Peer-Peer Topics

FOIA Request?

jasoncrcsd — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 18:00:37 GMT

I've been aqsked to do a FOIA requets through all of our Google docs for a specific set of keywords. Is there any way to do this? I've tried Google Vault but since I don't have a limiter like a name I have to select all and it errors out with "Can’t search for more than 5,000 accounts in this service"

Are there any other options?

Re: FOIA Request?

Kim_Nilsson — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 18:30:17 GMT

You will have to do several searches, limiting the number of users in the scope to keep below the threshold.

Re: FOIA Request?

Dave_Burek — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 22:28:58 GMT

I would be careful with this. You should not just start a process unless it has absolutely been determined that your school has to do this, that you have figured out what you are going to charge the person or entity for this service and then you want to make really sure you stay within privacy boundaries, especially with students information. I would have the school's lawyer involved in the process and making sure everything is in order.
Maybe all of this has already happened and it's really just to the point where you absolutely have to do the search. But, if it's just someone being a pest (yes, that can happen) or who knows what, sometimes when you let them know that they do need to pay for the resources needed to complete the request the nuscience requests go away. You want to make very sure you are not just doing something and have a clear direction from bosses and lawyers that it is Ok to do this search and give up the information.

Re: FOIA Request?

jasoncrcsd — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:10:31 GMT

Yea we have and the lawyers said to send all this to them and they are going to sort it out and figure out the charges etc.

Re: FOIA Request?

BrianGray — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:23:37 GMT

There are 3rd-party service providers who will do this for you (for a fee, of course). One that I found with a quick search is Logicull.com. (I know nothing about them except that services described on their website's front page seems to fit your need).

Re: FOIA Request?

BrandonB — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:19:32 GMT

I'm no lawyer, but I though FOIA only applies to Federal Government agencies. In Colorado, we have CORA. We often get fishing expeditions, like the one you noted. CORA allows us to charge an hourly rate for processing requests. We provide an estimate on the front-end which helps the requestor determine how much they want to pay to fish;) What we don't do is pull all data and send it to the lawyers to sort out. That seems a little odd to me, but I'm sure there are lots of different situations out there.

Re: FOIA Request?

JimmyR — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:05:59 GMT

Logikcull is a great product. We get constant data requests and at times we have had to go back to the requesting party and let them know that if they can't narrow the scope of their request, it will take a much longer time than if we had more detailed information. Most of the time, they have been willing to narrow down the scope of the request and be more precise which is very beneficial for everyone involved.