PageFreezer, a leading provider of website archiving and social media archiving solutions, has released a new public portal designed to strengthen government transparency. This public records search feature enables government agencies to provide public access to their archived websites and social media content in a centralized, searchable environment. Historic government website and social media data can now be accessed easily through a public-facing portal with advanced search capabilities.
As government websites and social media platforms are heavily relied upon by citizens and businesses, they are considered official government publications. As such, they fall under regulations like the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and broader Open Records Laws. These frameworks are critical to ensuring public records access and accountability. To comply with these regulations, government agencies must maintain internal systems that allow for efficient handling of public records requests, often under strict deadlines and cost constraints.
The new development from PageFreezer addresses the ongoing challenge of high costs associated with fulfilling public records requests. A recent report from the Washington State Auditor’s Office highlighted the scale of the issue, revealing that state and local governments spent approximately $60 million to fulfill more than 285,000 public records requests within a 12-month period. These findings underscore the need for more efficient records management and web archiving solutions.
PageFreezer’s archiving platform is widely used by government agencies across North America and Europe to capture and preserve digital communications in compliance with FOIA requirements and other transparency laws. With the introduction of the Public Portal, agencies can now provide direct online access to archived content, allowing users to search across platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, as well as official government websites and blogs—all from a single interface with a familiar, search-engine-like experience.
“It’s really useful for citizens to be able to search through all current and historic online publications of a government agency,” says Michael Riedyk, CEO of PageFreezer. “It improves a government agency’s transparency while significantly reducing the costs associated with open records requests.”
One of the first adopters of this transparency-focused initiative is the City of Sacramento. With six websites and more than 75 social media accounts, the city relies heavily on digital platforms to communicate essential information, including project updates, employment opportunities, public safety alerts, and online services such as animal control and traffic notifications. As part of its broader government transparency strategy, the City of Sacramento is working to build public trust by improving visibility into its operations and decision-making processes.
To support this effort, the city partnered with PageFreezer to implement comprehensive social media archiving and website archiving practices. All digital content is now preserved and made accessible through the PageFreezer Public Portal, enabling citizens to browse archives or perform full-text searches quickly and efficiently. This approach not only enhances public records access but also helps ensure long-term compliance with FOIA and other open government regulations.
