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Freedom of Information laws enable journalists to obtain information in the public interest but each country has different regulations for soliciting and obtaining these records.

To help reporters prepare to submit an FOI request in a country other than their own, for example when working on a cross-border investigation, the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) has compiled the Complete Guide to Freedom of Information.

Put together by Toby McIntosh, director of the GIJN resource center and editor of freedominfo.org, the comprehensive resource offers advice on making the most of access law, ideas for the types of information you can ask for, and country-by-country guidance on using FOIA law.

Check out data.world's free FOIA Predictor tool for estimating the success of a request submitted in the US, based on similar ones submitted in the past.

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