To think this is slightly unreasonable?

[Mummyalldayandnight]

I’ve made an FOI request to a public body (an academy trust) but they have refused to process the request and have said that they “believe that a pseudonym is being used”. Whilst I did use a pseudonym, the specific circumstances of this case meant that if I used my real name then it would have put my safety at risk, I have evidence to prove that it would have put my safety at risk. Is there anything that I can do to get them to process my FOI request?

Am I being unreasonable to think that they should just process my FOI request? At the end of the day it doesn’t matter who makes an FOI request, it is the information being disclosed as part of the request that matters.

Can someone make the request on your behalf?

Nope my friend wouldn’t do it when I asked her if she would.

The academy trust now want photo ID but obviously I can’t give them photo ID of a pseudonym.

Is it worth making a complaint to the ICO?

Is your safety at risk from the academy?

"The requester can be an individual, a company or a pre-existing and identifiable organisation or group. In each case, they must provide their real name, either of the individual or organisation.

A request made under a pseudonym is invalid."

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/foi-eir-and-access-to-information/freedom-of-information-and-environmental-information-regulations/recognising-a-request-made-under-the-freedom-of-information-act-section-8/#:~:text=The%20requester%20can%20be%20an,under%20a%20pseudonym%20is%20invalid.

Sorry but your request isn't valid, so there's no point in making a complaint.

If your safety is at risk, do you have a social worker or some such who could make the request on your behalf?

But they have to have enough evidence to prove to the ICO that they believe it’s a pseudonym in order to use section 8? Or at least that’s how I interpreted the FOI act but I accept I may be wrong?

What do you think tipped them off?

(And sorry, just noted that if someone applies for you, your name still had to be disclosed.)

Honestly no idea. They have not even said why they believe it to be a pseudonym.

Unfortunately not

I’m not really sure how your safety would be at risk from a freedom of information request as they can only provide general information under this. So anyone could make the request in their name without using your name. if your are asking for information specific to yourself then you need to make data subject request and you would need to know your really name as can’t provide that personal information to just anyone.

With FOI requests they don’t people’s really names to see if someone is making malicious requests.

I wasn’t asking for information related to myself. And It also wasn’t a malicious request.

Is it normal practice to refuse requests made from a pseudonym or is it worth complaining to the ICO?

'The requester can be an individual, a company or a pre-existing and identifiable organisation or group. In each case, they must provide their real name, either of the individual or organisation.

A request made under a pseudonym is invalid.'

If you read the quote above you'll understand that any organisation will refuse a request from a pseudonym because it is invalid. They know you aren't who you say you are because you won't produce ID. Why would it be worth complaining to the ICO about an organisation following the guidance?

You still haven't said why making an FOI to the academy trust will place you at risk.

I have evidence to prove that it would have put my safety at risk.

What evidence do you have?

Schools are insufficiently protected from malicious (and often both costly and time wasting) FOI requests so I think the guidance is reasonable. You are being unreasonable to expect them to not follow the guidance.

They don’t know it’s from a pseudonym though? They are just assuming it is?

But they are right? It is? Your request is invalid. Stop wasting your time and theirs

They know because you refuse/are unable to provide ID. I imagine an ID check is part of the process to ensure nobody is using a pseudonym.

It’s not normal practise to ask everyone who makes an FOI request for ID. It’s in the ICO’s guidance that you should only ask if you have sufficient reasoning to believe it’s a pseudonym

They've told you they believe you are using a pseudonym, therefore they have reasonable belief.
You could request they explain why they think you are, but I don't know if that will give you any answers.

What are you asking for? I might be able to do it for you.

Why would you attempt to challenge this when they are right? You ARE using a pseudonym. They have obviously established that

OP, the rules are clear. And you are breaching the rules. You have no grounds for complaint. And how would you complain anyway, seeing as you don't want to disclose your identity?

Is there no one who would do it for you? Is there a way to apply yourself with your true identity while explaining your fear over the application becoming known about by [whoever]?