The State Department is scrubbing its X accounts of all posts from before Trump's second term
Summary
The State Department is erasing its X account posts prior to Trump's current term, requiring Freedom of Information Act requests for access. This decision aims to streamline messaging and limit confusion about U.S. government policy, as reported by NPR.
Key Insights
What is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and how does it relate to deleted social media posts?
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that grants the public the right to request access to records from federal agencies, unless protected by specific exemptions. Even if social media posts are deleted from public view, they may still be considered federal records subject to FOIA requests if they document agency business, policies, or official communications, as guided by the National Archives and Records Administration.
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Does deleting social media posts from government accounts mean the information is no longer accessible?
No, deleting posts from government social media accounts does not make the information permanently inaccessible. Federal agencies must preserve records created through social media if they relate to official business, and these can be obtained via FOIA requests, though processing may involve review for exemptions like privacy or deliberative process protections.
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