# About

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The Lumen Database collects and analyzes legal complaints and requests for removal of online materials, helping Internet users to know their rights and understand the law. These data enable us to study the prevalence of legal threats and let Internet users see the source of content removals.

## Automated Submissions and Search Using the API

The main [Lumen Database instance](https://www.lumendatabase.org/) has an API that allows individuals and organizations that receive large numbers of notices to submit them without using the web interface. The API also provides an easy way for researchers to search the database. Members of the public can test the database, but will likely need to request an API key from the [Lumen team](mailto:team@lumendatabase.org) to receive a token that provides full access. To learn about the capabilities of the API, you can consult the [API documentation](/lumen-database/api/documentation.md).

## Having Trouble?

If you encounter issues with the Lumen API, please take a look at the [Troubleshooting](/lumen-database/api/troubleshooting.md) page. If you're facing an issue that isn't covered in our documentation, please feel free to contact us at <team@lumendatabase.org>


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://berkman-klein-center.gitbook.io/lumen-database/about.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.