WhatDoTheyKnow
Business Profile
Core Value Proposition
WhatDoTheyKnow provides free tools to submit Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to UK public authorities and publishes all requests and responses as a public, searchable archive.
Target Customer
Individuals, community groups, journalists, researchers, and campaigners seeking information from UK public authorities.
Key Differentiator
Public, permanent, searchable archive of FOI requests and responses; built by volunteers; powered by the Alaveteli platform; run as a charity project by mySociety.
Implementation Timeline
Users can start immediately after signing up and submitting a request; the timeframe for responses is governed by the public authorities (the FOI Act requires a response within 20 working days in most cases). Value is realized as responses are published and accessible in the public archive.
Pain Points
- 1Difficulty obtaining information from public authorities
- 2Complexity in writing effective FOI requests
- 3Lack of visibility and accountability due to information not being easily accessible or published
Key Features
- 1Make a FOI request to UK public authorities
- 2Browse requests and view authorities
- 3Inline guidance and help pages to assist in writing requests
- 4Automatic publication of requests and responses online
- 5Public archive of over a million information requests and responses
- 6Reminders and guidance to manage requests from submission to completion
- 7Refusal advice and support for challenging refusals
Target Customer Industries
Decision Makers
- 1FOI Officer
- 2Public Information Officer
- 3Head of Communications
- 4Journalist
- 5Researcher
- 6Campaigner
Client Results
- 1Increased transparency and accountability in how public money and decisions are made
- 2Access to a permanent, searchable public record of information requests and responses
- 3Email updates when responses are received
- 4Public publication of all requests and responses to hold authorities accountable
Competitive Advantages
- 1Free to use for standard FOI requests
- 2Public, searchable archive of requests and responses
- 3Community-driven, volunteer-supported platform
- 4Powered by Alaveteli with established civics-focused tooling
- 5Guidance, reminders, and support to improve response rates and effectiveness
Key Benefits
Additional Product Information
Product Description
WhatDoTheyKnow is a charity project by mySociety that helps people submit Freedom of Information requests to UK public authorities and publishes/archives those requests and their responses for transparency.
Target Market
UK residents, journalists, researchers, and campaigners seeking information from UK public authorities; public authorities themselves as the recipients of FOI requests.
Unique Value Proposition
Free, public, permanent FOI request publishing and archiving platform powered by volunteers and the Alaveteli framework, enabling widespread transparency and accountability.
Technical Requirements
Web-based platform; powered by Alaveteli; API available; supports a Pro subscription for commercial use; requires internet access.
Pricing Model
{"Free to use for standard FOI requests","WhatDoTheyKnow Pro subscription available for commercial/for-profit use"}
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