I'm interested in making my first Freedom of Information (FOI) request using WhatDoTheyKnow. Can I use this service to request information from my local council? Please explain the three main steps involved in making a request through WhatDoTheyKnow, and clarify what happens to my request and its response after I submit it.
Navigate to 'https://www.mysociety.org/'. Click on the 'Transparency' link in the navigation menu. On the 'Our transparency work' page, locate and click the link for 'WhatDoTheyKnow'. On the WhatDoTheyKnow homepage, identify if local councils are among the public authorities from which information can be requested. Locate the 'How it works' section on the WhatDoTheyKnow homepage. Identify and list the three main steps involved in making a request. Based on the 'How it works' section, describe what happens to the request and its response after submission. Synthesize all collected information into a concise answer.
The agent successfully navigates to the 'WhatDoTheyKnow' project page. The agent confirms that information can be requested from local councils (or similar public authorities like 'government and public sector' or 'UK public authority'). The agent accurately lists the three main steps for making a request: 1) Use the site to make your request, 2) Receive an email when your request gets a response, and 3) The request and response are published online. The agent explains that after submission, the user will receive an email when their request gets a response, and that both the request and its response will be published online for public access.