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Topic: Freedom of Information Act Request on Bitcoin? (Read 3774 times)

hero member
Activity: 854
Merit: 1000
Are they charging a processing fee?
Not sure yet, they didn't mention it in the letter.  I'll make a dropbox with it in a sec.  Also going to make a separate thread, this one seems kind-of old.
legendary
Activity: 2156
Merit: 1072
Crypto is the separation of Power and State.
I got the processing letter from the FBI yesterday.  Parents freaked out.

Haw!  "Dang it Mother, I told you he was up to no good down in that basement!"

Just kidding, plz keep up the great work.
hero member
Activity: 616
Merit: 500
Portland Bitcoin Group Organizer
Are they charging a processing fee?
legendary
Activity: 1904
Merit: 1002
I got the processing letter from the FBI yesterday.  Parents freaked out.
lol
hero member
Activity: 854
Merit: 1000
I got the processing letter from the FBI yesterday.  Parents freaked out.
sr. member
Activity: 658
Merit: 250
Well... the FBI has something.
Quote
The FOIPA request is presently assigned to a Disclosure analyst who is reviewing the records to determine if any redactions are required pursuant to subsections of Title 5, U. S. Code, Section 552 and 552a. Upon completion, the responsive records will be forwarded to a supervisor for review. If approved, a release of responsive records will be made. However, the supervisor may send the records back for further review and/or corrections which may delay the release.
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-states-of-america-10/bitcoin-and-silk-road-1385/
hero member
Activity: 531
Merit: 501
An FOI request in the UK has been turned down for "reasons of national security". This means UK authorities neither confirm nor deny the existence of any records related to Bitcoin or the Silk Road.

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/119099/response/301544/attach/html/3/CR23081%20Response.pdf.html

Courtesy of Runa Sandvik (@runasand) on Twitter.
hero member
Activity: 854
Merit: 1000
I asked FINCEN about de-centralized virtual currencies a few weeks ago; here's what I got:
  http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38065353/FincenFOIA.pdf

Only the first page is interesting.  Reading between the lines, it looks like they're thinking about us.

They're probably thinking about you more now that you put that on Dropbox.  Smiley
hero member
Activity: 854
Merit: 1000
I can do the FBI one if you want.  I'm actually kind-of curious, will do it later.
EDIT:
Just sent the email.
legendary
Activity: 1652
Merit: 2301
Chief Scientist
I asked FINCEN about de-centralized virtual currencies a few weeks ago; here's what I got:
  http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38065353/FincenFOIA.pdf

Only the first page is interesting.  Reading between the lines, it looks like they're thinking about us.
member
Activity: 113
Merit: 10
It would be interesting to see what a FOIA request turns up, but it's not possible to use FOIA to request information on a living person other than yourself, so Satoshi's secrets are safe with the FBI.

Hmm, even if its just a pseudonym?

They'll take any opportunity they can get to deny the existence of records or to avoid disclosure - and, frankly, in this case I think it's fair - after all, there is at least one underlying human, but we just don't know their name.

http://www.muckrock.com might be a good starting point for this project.

EDIT: Someone's already done it, see https://www.muckrock.com/foi/view/united-states-of-america/bitcoin-and-silk-road/1385/.
member
Activity: 93
Merit: 10
It would be interesting to see what a FOIA request turns up, but it's not possible to use FOIA to request information on a living person other than yourself, so Satoshi's secrets are safe with the FBI.

Hmm, even if its just a pseudonym?
legendary
Activity: 1904
Merit: 1002
In the United States, the Freedom of Information Act allows any US citizen to submit a request for information on a particular thing from the government.  As long as that information isn't classified, it will be sent to them.

I've searched for bitcoin using their partial search tool, and there were some things about that guy who tried to trademark bitcoin, a couple news articles, and a couple cybersecurity presentation slides.  This only searches information that must be proactively made public.  There is likely more information that is not on this list.

http://search.usa.gov/search?affiliate=foia.gov&locale=en&m=false&query=bitcoin

Along with the FBI, there are several other departments requests could be submitted to.

http://www.fbi.gov/foia/requesting-fbi-records
http://www.foia.gov/report-makerequest.html

I'd be interested to see if there were any results.  Up to a certain amount of pages is free, but then they charge per page.  I don't know what kind of information would come up.  Does anyone know if this worth starting a bounty on or even worth doing at all?

Send the requests.  If they ask for a fee, then ask for donations.  Otherwise, there is no way to know how much you will need to collect.
member
Activity: 113
Merit: 10
It would be interesting to see what a FOIA request turns up, but it's not possible to use FOIA to request information on a living person other than yourself, so Satoshi's secrets are safe with the FBI.
member
Activity: 93
Merit: 10
May be worth looking for related info on Satoshi Nakamoto or other topics....
sr. member
Activity: 658
Merit: 250
BitCoin (digital anonymous currency often double spent) - lol
lol indeed.  The other presentation seems to understand it better.
hero member
Activity: 504
Merit: 500
BitCoin (digital anonymous currency often double spent) - lol
sr. member
Activity: 658
Merit: 250
In the United States, the Freedom of Information Act allows any US citizen to submit a request for information on a particular thing from the government.  As long as that information isn't classified, it will be sent to them.

I've searched for bitcoin using their partial search tool, and there were some things about that guy who tried to trademark bitcoin, a couple news articles, and a couple cybersecurity presentation slides.  This only searches information that must be proactively made public.  There is likely more information that is not on this list.

http://search.usa.gov/search?affiliate=foia.gov&locale=en&m=false&query=bitcoin

Along with the FBI, there are several other departments requests could be submitted to.

http://www.fbi.gov/foia/requesting-fbi-records
http://www.foia.gov/report-makerequest.html

I'd be interested to see if there were any results.  Up to a certain amount of pages is free, but then they charge per page.  I don't know what kind of information would come up.  Does anyone know if this worth starting a bounty on or even worth doing at all?
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