The MITRE-developed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Assistant™ advanced prototype uses machine learning to improve the speed, accuracy, and consistency of the redaction process for the growing volume of FOIA requests.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Assistant
Funded by MITRE’s independent research and development program and developed with FOIA experts, the MITRE FOIA Assistant tool allows analysts to identify common redactions more quickly and consistently. The tool focuses on three of nine FOIA exemptions that represent more than 37% of all redactions to FOIA requests:
- Four (money figures)
- Five (agency deliberative or policy making)
- Six (personal/privacy information)
Today, most agencies process FOIA redactions manually, a laborious and expensive process. The MITRE FOIA Assistant can help increase efficiency, decrease cost, and mitigate employee burnout. Using machine learning, the tool quickly identifies and suggests text for redaction, which FOIA analysts can then choose to accept or reject.
Key Features
The MITRE FOIA Assistant was developed with several features to help save analyst time:
- Ability to import PDF files for analysis and export redacted files to PDF
- Novel deep learning algorithm to detect deliberative language, such as suggestion, opinion, emotion, supposition, and conjecture
- Open source personally identifiable information (PII) detection algorithm integration
- Intuitive user interface
- Multiple ways to approve and reject suggested redactions
- Filters to enable mass approvals and rejections for repeated information
- Usable as either a stand-alone desktop product or stored on a server
- Possible custom integration options
For more technical information about MITRE’s FOIA Assistant or licensing opportunities, contact the MITRE Technology Transfer Office at techtransfer@mitre.org.