The full-service investigative site MuckRock is nine years old, an apt moment to celebrate its remarkable journalistic achievement.
Founder Michael Morisy had the ingenious idea of automating the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process, so that anybody could take advantage of open government laws at the federal or state level.
These laws are quite strong but they are also complex and take years to complete. (I filed a FOIA in 2003 and the case is still live in federal court today. )
So when we designed MuckRock, we wanted to not only make it easier for current requesters to be more efficient and effective, but to empower more people to take advantage of these amazing laws, whether or not they were filing through our site. This also meant building tools that was accessible and useful to everyone: Journalists, researchers, business people, hackers, activists, politicians, policy makers, government employees, lawyers, teachers, students, ordinary citizens … everyone.
If you want to be a reporter or activist, check out the MuckRock.
Source: Nine years into the fight for transparency for everyone • MuckRock
