DoNotPay, the consumer advocacy company initially known for simplifying the process of disputing parking citations, has significantly broadened its services since its inception. The company now assists individuals with tasks such as canceling subscriptions, seeking reimbursement for delayed flights, and even initiating legal action against businesses in small claims court. During the initial phase of the pandemic, the platform aided users in applying for unemployment benefits, particularly when numerous state benefit websites experienced outages.

The company, often referred to as a “robot lawyer,” has introduced another capability. It now enables users to obtain information from U.S. federal and state government entities through requests made under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Freedom of Information Act grants the public the right to request government information, subject to certain limitations. However, individuals with experience submitting FOIA requests can attest to the fact that securing data requires expertise and practice to prevent rejection due to overly broad or insufficiently specific requests. Furthermore, the information received may not always align with expectations.

DoNotPay aims to address these challenges. The new feature provides guidance on formulating information requests, as well as navigating fee waivers and expedited processing options—the latter requiring justification for faster and free access to the requested information. (It’s important to note that the FOIA system often faces resource constraints, leading to response times that can span months or even years.) Following a series of questions to determine the user’s needs, DoNotPay generates a formal FOIA request letter based on the provided answers and submits it to the appropriate government agency.

“We received requests from hundreds of users for a FOIA product, as the government intentionally creates a complex and bureaucratic process for exercising these rights,” Browder explained to TechCrunch.

Browder stated that DoNotPay “would not have been possible” without the existence of FOIA laws. “When we initially focused on appealing parking tickets, we utilized prior requests to identify the most common reasons for dismissal,” he said. He anticipates that this feature will help uncover further instances of unfairness—similar to the parking ticket experience—and provide data to enhance the platform’s offerings. “Our overarching strategy is to leverage any valuable FOIA data to develop innovative DoNotPay products,” he added.

Earlier this year, DoNotPay secured $12 million in Series A funding, led by Coatue Management, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, and Felicis Ventures. The company currently employs 10 individuals, including Browder, and is valued at approximately $80 million, as confirmed by the company.

The FOIA filing feature is available without charge to academics and journalists, and is included as part of the company’s subscription service, which costs $3 per month for all other users.