As federal, state, and local government websites and social media platforms become increasingly relied upon by citizens and businesses for public information, these digital communications are now considered official government records. As a result, they are subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and various state Open Records Laws in the United States.
These transparency and public disclosure laws are designed to ensure public access to government information. However, complying with FOIA requests and records disclosure obligations can be expensive for government agencies, costing an average of $678 per information request according to research from University College London (UCL).
Public records laws define the types of information that must be provided upon request and outline the required disclosure procedures, retention policies, and acceptable file formats. Across many U.S. states, the primary Open Records compliance requirements for online government content include:
Collecting and preserving website pages and social media content, including metadata
Retaining websites in their original file formats such as HTML or WARC rather than screenshots or PDFs
Maintaining website and social media records for at least seven years, depending on state retention schedules
PageFreezer’s New Public Access Feature for Government Records
To improve government transparency and reduce the administrative burden associated with public records requests, PageFreezer has introduced its new Public Access feature. The feature enables government agencies to securely share website and social media archives with the public through a self-service web portal.
By allowing citizens, journalists, legal professionals, and businesses to directly search archived online records, agencies can significantly reduce the time and cost associated with responding to FOIA and Open Records requests.
The new Public Access feature allows users to:
View archived websites and social media records directly in any modern web browser
Perform keyword searches across archived web and social content
Download important webpages in PDF format for documentation purposes
Compare different archived versions of a webpage and highlight changes over time for audit and compliance tracking
This capability is especially valuable for government agencies that must demonstrate compliance with digital records retention laws while maintaining transparency and accessibility for the public.
Why Website and Social Media Archiving Matters
P: Government communication increasingly occurs through digital channels such as official websites, Facebook pages, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and other social media platforms. Because these communications may contain policy announcements, emergency updates, public notices, or regulatory information, they are often classified as public records under FOIA and state-level Sunshine Laws.
Without a proper website and social media archiving solution, agencies risk:
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Non-compliance with public records retention regulations
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Increased legal and administrative costs
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Missing or incomplete records during audits or litigation
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Reduced public trust and transparency
Digital archiving platforms like PageFreezer help preserve online records in tamper-proof formats while maintaining metadata integrity and historical accuracy.
Learn More About Public Records Requirements in Your State
Government agencies should review their specific state retention schedules and Open Records requirements to ensure compliance for website and social media data preservation.
Government agencies should review their specific state retention schedules and Open Records requirements to ensure compliance for website and social media data preservation.
Sources
University College London (UCL) – Cost of FOI Requests
University College London FOI Research
U.S. Department of Justice – FOIA Guidance
U.S. Department of Justice FOIA Post
