ATF argues that requiring the agency to encrypt identifying information constitutes the creation of new records. The Court finds otherwise. The City of Chicago is not asking ATF to track or input new information into its database system. Rather, the City is asking that ATF retrieve information already stored within ATF's databases, in a redacted manner. Further, while ATF would like to retain a definition of deletion that is limited to marking out words with a black pen on a hard copy of text, such a definition is antiquated in this age of computer technology.
Encryption is a modern form of computer deletion for redaction purposes.
Encryption deletes sensitive information, such as exact identity, by obscuring it, while retaining useful information. In the example cited above, encryption effectively deletes parcel two of the information while retaining parcel one. Further, ATF's definition of deletion is not consistent with its own system of information distribution and management. When ATF wishes to redact a portion of sensitive information it does not assign someone to print out hard copies of that information and cross out sensitive words with a black pen. Rather, ATF stores all its data in databases and draws the information out of its databases for disclosure to the public by means of writing computer queries.