WhatDoTheyKnow

WhatDoTheyKnow.com is a website which allows anyone to make a Freedom of Information request in public.^[1][2]

• Around 10% of requests to Central Government are made through WhatDoTheyKnow.com.^[3]

• Over 5,000 public bodies have been added to the site, mainly by volunteers

• The site has been described as "an idiot's guide to making an freedom of information request." ^[4]

• The Information Commissioner has stated "we believe the most up-to-date informal list of all public authorities is held on the website 'WhatDoTheyKnow.com'. ^[5]

Recognition

• Daily Telegraph best green websites - ranked number 2 ^[6][7]
• New Media Awards - Democracy in Action Finalists 2008 ^[8][9]
• New Media Awards - Innovation Winner 2008 ^[10]

ICO advice

The ICO advises information professionals to: "Check out websites and blogs that cover freedom of information issues, such as www.whatdotheyknow.com, ..." ^[11]

WhatDoTheyKnow policies

Certain WhatDoTheyKnow policies are to be made available on the foiwiki:

• Naming public authorities
• Authorities not subject to FOI
• Changing name of authorities
• Authority subunits
• Defunct authorities
• Copyright

Authorities

• Authorities not on WhatDoTheyKnow
• Authorities that link to WhatDoTheyKnow

Volunteers

The team of volunteers who run the site, answer your support emails, maintain the database of public authorities

• Helen Cross
• John Cross
• Ben Harris
• Adam McGreggor
• Ganesh Sittampalam
• Alex Skene
• Richard Taylor

See also

• Important things that have been discovered through WhatDoTheyKnow.com
• MPs using WhatDoTheyKnow
• Common WhatDoTheyKnow support responses
• WhatDoTheyKnow - email address needed
• WhatDoTheyKnow.com Tags
• WhatDoTheyKnow.com responses to consultations

External Resources

• Wikipedia: WhatDoTheyKnow