Exemption 4 (Commercial information)

Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) protects certain commercial or financial information from being disclosed to the public. It applies to information that is confidential and would harm a business if released, such as trade secrets or proprietary data. The purpose is to encourage the free flow of information and ensure that businesses can operate without fear of losing sensitive information. Essentially, it helps maintain a level playing field by keeping certain competitive information private.