A FOIA request, or Freedom of Information Act request, is a formal way for individuals to ask for access to records held by the federal government in the United States. This law allows citizens to obtain information about government activities, promoting transparency and accountability. To make a FOIA request, a person typically submits a written request to the specific government agency that holds the desired information. Agencies are required to respond within a certain timeframe, either providing the requested documents or explaining why they cannot release them, often citing exemptions for privacy or security reasons.