Through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, EPIC obtained Customs and Border Protection's directive on Unmanned Aircraft System Operations and Privacy. The directive allows the agency to disseminate information collected through drone operations with federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement agencies. EPIC's FOIA request stems from 2015 Presidential Memorandum that requires all federal agencies to develop and publish policies and procedures that address the privacy, civil liberties, and civil right issues posed by the use of drones. EPIC recently sent a statement to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, urging the Committee to not consider a S. 2836, Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018: Countering Malicious Drones, until all federal agencies establish drone privacy procedures.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has introduced S. 3127, the Bot Disclosure and Accountability Act of 2018. The bill directs the FTC to create a rule to require social media companies to disclose any social media bots on their platform. The bill also prohibits candidates and political parties from using bots. "This bill is designed to help respond to Russia's efforts to interfere in U.S. elections through the use of social media bots, which spread divisive propaganda," Feinstein said. Earlier this week, EPIC sent a statement to the House Judiciary Committee arguing that "algorithmic transparency" could help establish fairness, transparency, and accountability for much of what users see online. EPIC has also recommended identification requirements for drones.
Today the Department of Justice released a summary and assessment of federal agencies' Chief FOIA Officer Reports. The annual FOIA Report provides a detailed assessment of FOIA processing across the federal government. The summary tracks the Department's FOIA Guidelines: Applying the Presumption of Openness, Having Effective Systems for Responding to Requests, Making Information Available Proactively, Utilizing Technology, and Reducing Backlogs and Improving Timeliness. The guidance offers methods to manage these backlogs, guidance on closing oldest consultations, and recommending that agencies post raw data from the annual FOIA reports. EPIC pursues an extensive FOIA docket.
