F-2014-01749, ACC LETTER

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06212237
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: July 11, 2023
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2022
• Case Number: F-2015-02528
• Publication Date: June 27, 2014

Approved for Release: 2022/09/22 C06212237
Central Intelligence Agency
�--
Washington, D.C. 20505
9 July 2014
Mr. Evan Hill
Al Jazeera America
435 Hudson Street
Suite 400
New York, NY 10014
Reference: F-2014-01749
Dear Mr. Hill:
This is further to our 9 June 2014 letter concerning your 6 June 2014 Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) request for:
1. Any and all records referring to the Twitter account @CIA.
2. Records relating to the establishment and operation of the account,
including emails.
We have assigned your request the reference number above. Please use this number when
corresponding so that we can identify it easily.
Regarding Item 1, for any and all records referring to the Twitter account
@ CIA, we cannot accept this part of your FOIA request in its current form because it
would require the Agency to perform an unreasonably burdensome search. The FOIA
requires requesters to "reasonably describe" the information they seek so that professional
employees familiar with the subject matter can locate responsive information with a
reasonable amount of effort. Commonly this equates to a requirement that the documents
must be locatable through the indexing of our various systems. Extremely broad or vague
requests or requests requiring research do not satisfy this requirement.
Therefore, in your future requests we recommend that you reasonably describe the
information you seek in a manner which will allow us to locate responsive records with a
reasonably amount of effort. You may consider narrowing and detailing the subject of
your request by using one or more of the following approaches: requesting records on
specific individuals, requesting records originated within a particular time-frame,
requesting particular type of reports, such as finished intelligence, or requesting records
pertaining to a specific event, circumstance, or location. You may consider requesting
specific reports by title, if possible.
Approved for Release: 2022/09/22 C06212237
Approved for Release: 2022/09/22 C06212237
The CIA Information Act, 50 U.S.C. � 431, as amended, exempts CIA operational
files from the search, review, publication, and disclosure requirements of the FOIA. To
the extent your request seeks information that is subject to the FOIA, we accept Item 2 of
your request for records relating to the establishment and operation of the [Twitter]
account, including emails, and we will process it in accordance with the FOIA, 5 U.S.C.
� 552, as amended. Unless you object, we will limit our search to CIA-originated records
up to and including the date the Agency starts its search. In accordance with our
regulations, as a matter of administrative discretion, the Agency has waived the fees for
this request.
The large number of FOIA requests CIA receives has created unavoidable delays
making it unlikely that we can respond within the 20 working days the FOIA requires.
You have the right to consider our honest appraisal as a denial of your request and you
may appeal to the Agency Release Panel. A more practical approach would permit us to
continue processing your request and respond to you as soon as we can. You will retain
your appeal rights and, once you receive the results of our search, can appeal at that time if
you wish. We will proceed on that basis unless you object.
Sincerely,
Michele Meeks
Information and PrivacyCoordinator
Approved for Release: 2022/09/22 C06212237