The translation for this page is very outdated, so it is using english instead. Please help us to translate this and other pages on fsfe.org, so people can read our message in their native language.
The FSFE empowers users to control technology with its diverse activities and concrete engagement for software freedom. Follow us and make sure to receive regular updates and deeper insights on our various channels.
Para estar al día de nuestras últimas noticias, suscríbete a nuestro canal RSS y visita los diferentes canales de comunicación.
We are excited to announce that the Legal and Policy Issues DevRoom will be returning for FOSDEM 2025! Join this DevRoom at the biggest annual Free Software event in Europe. This is your opportunity to submit proposals for a talk or a panel about Free Software legal and policy topics.
Join this new episode of our Software Freedom podcast in which Bonnie Mehring and Alexander Sander discussing current topics affecting Free Software in the European Union. In this episode we focus on the 27 million euros cut of funding of the Next Generation Internet initiative (known as NGI). Alex and Bonnie shed some light on the history of this European project and share the newest developments in this case.
REUSE Specification 3.3 and REUSE tool 5.0.0 are released today, making it even easier to license your code as Free Software. REUSE provides all the tools and documentation that developers need to apply standards-compliant and comprehensive licensing information to their projects, without needing to be a legal expert.
The FSFE called on the community to participate in a consultation on the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme and demanded long-term sustainable funding for Free Software after recent budget cuts. Results show its success.
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) and Linux User Group Bolzano-Bozen (LUGBZ) posthumously honored Bram Moolenaar, creator of the widely used Vim text editor, with the European SFS Award at SFSCON 2024. This award celebrates Moolenaar’s invaluable contributions to the Free Software community.
It's November and our team heads to Bolzano for SFSCON, still thrilled by the inspiring 2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom award ceremony! Last weeks we’ve also launched a new page to keep you updated on the latest developments in our involvement with the Apple vs. EC litigation. Find out the latest updates on Router Freedom, REUSE and more!
We are excited to be back for the South Tyrol Free Software Conference (SFSCON) on 8 and 9 November with talks, workshops and a booth! SFSCON is the place to be if you’re passionate about Free Software and want to dive into discussions on key topics, including the need for sustainable, long-term funding for Free Software projects. Come to Bolzano to learn, connect, and be inspired!.
The six winning projects, developed by young people aged between 14 and 18 and presented at the 2024 award ceremony are: a federated social network, an app to help dementia patients, software for finding events and connecting with people in your area, a unique rhythm game, and a WebApp for sharing sheets of music and lyrics.
In 2018 Italy implemented Router Freedom. However regulatory decisions in 2019 and 2023 introduced exceptions for fiber networks. The Free Software Foundation Europe has now urged Italy’s telecom regulator, AGCOM, to remove these restrictions and fully restore users' rights to choose their own equipment to connect to fiber networks.
¡La historia de Ada & Zangemann ya está disponible en forma de película de animación! Nos gustaría además dar las gracias a todas las personas que contribuyeron con respuestas a la consulta de la Comisión Europea, urgiendo a los políticos europeos a establecer una financiación sostenible y a largo plazo para el Software Libre. Además, aportamos nuestros argumentos en el actual litigio de Apple. Y otra gran noticia, ¡nuestras sudaderas vuelven a estar disponibles!
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is celebrating Ada Lovelace Day on October 8 with a special event for its supporters: the global English premiere of the animated film 'Ada & Zangemann - A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry Ice Cream'. Originally a highly successful illustrated book, now available in 10 languages and counting, the story has been adapted into a film and is licensed as an open educational resource.
In 2024, we continued to promote software freedom through our presence at conferences and events across Europe, as well as through our various activities and initiatives. Despite our ongoing financial challenges, we have actively raised our voice in defence of Device Neutrality and are advocating for a dedicated Free Software budget in Europe.
Tras el reciente recorte de 27 millones de euros en la financiación de NGI, la Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) responde a la creciente preocupación participando en una consulta pública de la Comisión Europea. La FSFE insiste en la necesidad urgente de contar con un apoyo financiero sostenible y a largo plazo para el Software Libre, que garantice la independencia tecnológica de Europa.
The European Commission has cut important funds for Free Software. The non-transparent decision shows the need for sustainable long-term funding to allow the EU to control its own technology. Raise your voice and take part in an ongoing consultation to ask for sustainable long-term funds for software freedom. We explain why and how.
Septiembre llega con nuestro boletín. Seguimos solicitando un presupuesto para el Software Libre en Europa tras la decisión de la Comisión Europea de dejar de financiar la iniciativa NGI. También intervenimos en la demanda de Apple contra la Comisión Europea. YH4F consiguió un nuevo patrocinador y su edición 2024 está en su recta final, además el proyecto ZOOOM ha terminado.
Are you also worried and concerned about the European Commission decision to cut the funding for Free Software projects? Besides contacting European representatives you can also write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to make their readers aware of the importance of funding Free Software solutions with a long term sustainable funding.
The FSFE’s hacking competition for young Europeans successfully concluded its six-month programming period on 30 June, with the submission of the participants’ projects. Now, it's the jury's turn to evaluate the work of the participants. We are also happy to announce a new sponsor for the contest, OpenSSF.
La Free Software Foundation Europe interviene en un litigio interpuesto por Apple contra la Comisión Europea ante el Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea. El caso está relacionado con la Ley de Mercados Digitales, pretendiendo Apple eludir obligaciones relacionadas con su App Store y la interoperabilidad de su sistema operativo. La FSFE pretende responsabilizar a Apple en virtud de la DMA para proteger los intereses del Software Libre frente al control monopolístico de las empresas.
The Free Software Foundation Europe is intervening in a litigation brought by Apple against the European Commission before the Court of Justice of the European Union. The case relates to Digital Markets Act, with Apple seeking to avoid obligations related to its App Store and the interoperability of its operating systems. The FSFE aims to hold Apple accountable under the DMA to protect Free Software against monopolistic corporate control.
After the recent news that funding for the Next Generation Internet initiative would be cut for the next phase of Horizon Europe, the European Commission has expressed vague support for Free Software. Unfortunately it is failing to provide concrete examples on how to do so. This has highlighted the fragility of funding for Software Freedom and the need for change in the long-term.
La Comisión Europea planea recortar su financiación a los proyectos NGI, mientras que en Bélgica un juzgado ha respaldado los derechos de la Libertad del Router de los usuarios. También enviamos nuestros comentarios a la implementación de NIS2; aprendimos sobre Linqa, una plataforma de Software Libre desarrollada con dinero público; y nos reunimos con voluntarios en el Summer Meeting. Escuche un nuevo episodio del SFP.
Linqa is a bilingual collaboration platform whose code is Free Software and developed using public money. It helps the daily work of the Franco-German Forum for the Future, a public institution that fosters collaboration among actors in France and Germany. We dive into the roots of Linqa with the people behind it.
The Next Generation Internet initiative has supported Free Software projects with funding and technical assistance since 2018. Despite its proven success, the European Commission made the decision to cut this funding in the current draft for the Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme. This decision highlights the larger problem of the lack of motivated and sustainable public funding for Free Software projects.
Together with NLnet Labs and the Open Source Security Foundation, the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) submitted feedback on the NIS2 implementation act, pointing to the need of protecting the European Free Software ecosystem.
In an historic ruling within the EU, a Belgian court has upheld the decision of the country’s regulator to introduce Router Freedom for fiber networks. The objections, raised by a local internet service provider, were deemed unfounded. This landmark decision represents a significant victory for consumer rights, and we urge other national regulators to follow this example.
For our 25th episode of the Software Freedom Podcast we are happy to welcome Hannes Mehnert, one of the MirageOS core developer. Matthias Kirschner, president of the FSFE, and Hannes talk about MirageOS. This episode gives an overview of everything from the basics to the future of MirageOS.
¡El número de julio viene cargado de noticias!. Seguimos vigilando y planteando nuestra preocupación por el cumplimiento de la DMA. Pedimos a la UE que utilice Software Libre en su infraestructura digital y os preguntamos por vuestras experiencias con el openwashing. Y también te traemos novedades sobre REUSE, YH4F, Ada & Zangemann ....
The FSFE calls upon the European Commission to use Free Software to ensure a secure and resilient digital infrastructure. Software freedom will also benefit the economy, civil society and democracy.
After six months of programming there are only a few days left until the end of Youth Hacking 4 Freedom 2024. We are very excited to see this year's projects and to learn more about the participants and their work during the past months. Before we dive into the new projects, let us take a deeper look at last year's winner, Davide Rorato.
Together with nine stakeholders organisations, the FSFE has submitted a joint position paper to the European Commission, with whom we are working on the implementation of the Digital Markets Act. This paper, supported by legal and data-backed arguments, addresses Apple’s non-compliance with the law, particularly concerning software freedom, alternative Free Software app stores and interoperability obligations.
REUSE helps make a project's licensing and copyright status more transparent, ensure that third-party code is properly attributed, and make the project's code easily reusable. This tool is currently used worldwide and its specification has been adopted by several corporate and institutional projects. We spoke to Matija Šuklje of Liferay International, one of the companies that has adopted REUSE.
We got an email, a few weeks ago, that caught our attention. It came with a donation explaining that it was made in the name of an employee network at SUSE. We decided to investigate, asked the people responsible, and today we want to share this awesome story with you. (Note - this is also a great idea for an initiative to ask your company about).
En esta entrega, explicamos nuestros planes para hacer una película de la historia de Ada & Zangemann y estamos pidiendo tu apoyo. Lanzada una nueva versión de REUSE; lee la opinión de la FSFE informada a la Comisión Europea sobre la nueva estrategia de Apple para cumplir con la DMA y su impacto sobre el Software Libre.
EU elections debate: FSFE Netherlands coordinator adds voice for Free Software to Amsterdam's digital city debate. Now it's your chance to highlight the importance of Free Software in the lead-up to the upcoming European Elections next week.
¿Qué tienen en común un Primer Ministro, un profesor del MIT y un niño de Rajastán? Ellos, junto con otras figuras públicas y miles de niños, adoran el libro ilustrado 'Ada & Zangemann: A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry Ice Cream'. Ada ya ha llegado a hogares y bibliotecas de todo el mundo y, ¡ahora necesita tu ayuda para llegar a aún más niños! Ayúdanos a hacer una película de esta historia para despertar el interés de más niños por la programación y el trasteo con la tecnología.
Mayo viene con noticias legales como el "Legal & Licensing Workshop" y la demanda de Bitcoin sobre la responsabilidad de los desarrolladores de Software Libre. También hablamos con dos participantes del YH4F 2023 y nuestro grupo local danés envió una Carta Abierta a su parlamento. ¿Has visto que Ada & Zangemann ha ganado un premio y que ya está disponible la versión francesa en ebook?
For the second year in a row, the Swedish city of Gothenburg hosted an edition of the Free Software Legal & Licensing Workshop (LLW), the annual conference for Legal Network members. The 2024 edition brought new faces and great discussions and presentations on current legal and licensing issues related to technological developments such as AI.
Find out more about the Youth Hacking 4 Freedom participants of the 2023 edition. We are continuing this series talking with Antoni and Tobias: Antoni developed a dictionary to preserve endangered languages, and Tobias conceived a rich featured calendar.
Free Software is everywhere, with studies estimating that it is present in about 96% of the applications that we use. But what are the responsibilities and liabilities of the Free Software developers? A potential threat to Free Software developers looms in the form of an ongoing lawsuit in the UK involving Bitcoin and its core developers.
Last month, the DMA came into force and we launched a website about Device Neutrality, the EU parliament voted the CRA and the PLD, and we released a guide to get active for the upcoming EU elections. Check out the videos from the devrooms we joined at FOSDEM!
European citizens will hit the ballot boxes from 6 to 9 June 2024 to choose their next representatives in the European Parliament. As the campaign heats up, it is important to get active and ensure Software Freedom is part of the larger political debate. How can you do this? Find practical advice on how to advocate for Free Software in the coming months!
Once again we co-organised our now well-known Legal & Policy Issues Devroom during FOSDEM 2024. The discussions in this track covered important issues for Software Freedom, such as CRA, RHEL, GPL termination, where discussed. Thanks to everyone who participated in it!
The FSFE helped to organise a FOSDEM devroom about Free Software in the European legislative landscape. It was the first time that this devroom was held and got a lot of interest from the community, that engaged in fruitful discussions about current EU policy topics.
With today's votes on CRA and PLD on the introduction of liability rules for software, a broad exception for Free Software was made, so that after long and intense debates individual developers and non for profit work are safeguarded.
Con la entrada en vigor en el día de hoy de la Ley de Mercados Digitales, la Neutralidad de los Dispositivos comienza a ser una realidad tangible en la Unión Europea. Aunque la FSFE aplaude la nueva ley, advierte de que este es solo el primer paso y que es necesario un compromiso mayor.
¡Ya está aquí nuestra newsletter de marzo! Acudimos a FOSDEM, y por toda Europa, se celebró el ‘I Love Free Software Day’. Además lanzamos un nuevo episodio de nuestro podcast sobre el estado del software libre y un debate sobre los servicios bancarios y la libertad del software. ¡Echa un vistazo a algunas lecturas interesantes y recomendaciones de eventos!
At the beginning of February, FSFE volunteers and staffers went back to Brussels to take part in FOSDEM 2024 with a booth and talks. While for some of us this has become an awesome yearly experience, it was the first time for others. Thanks to everyone who came to FOSDEM, visited our booth for a nice chat, and joined us during our social events!
Together with hundreds of people and several organisations, we have celebrated another "I Love Free Software Day" on 14 February! On this day, we reached out to Free Software contributors to say Thank you! To all who joined us this time: Thank you for participating in this 14th edition of the "I Love Free Software Day" ❤️❤️❤️!
Have there been any changes for Free Software in Europe or the USA in the last year? How is Free Software viewed by legislators? What can we do to support software freedom? Karen Sandler and Alexander Sander are active in the Free Software movement and share their views on the current status of Free Software in our society.
Once again, FOSDEM did not disappoint! Meeting the Free Software community in Brussels is always one of the best moments of the year! And just before we meet again to celebrate I Love Free Software Day with the news of the Interoperable Europe Act being adopted! This newsletter also includes our first interviews with 2023 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom participants… and more!
On 14 February, Free Software communities around the world gather to celebrate developers, maintainers, and contributors of Free Software projects. Take part in one of the many events across Europe that celebrate this day!
Today the Interoperable Europe Act has been adopted in plenary with 524 votes in favour, 18 against and 97 abstentions. Although some of the potential of the regulation got undermined, the Act as a whole is an important opportunity for Free Software and its community to contribute to an interoperable Europe. The FSFE will closely monitor its implementation.
It is that time of the year again. FOSDEM will take place in Brussels on 3 and 4 February 2024. The Free Software Foundation Europe will be there with most of its staff and some of our volunteers! Are you planning to attend? If so, come meet us at our booth!
Find out more about the Youth Hacking 4 Freedom participants of the 2023 edition. We are starting this series talking with Jannes and Aaron: both worked on projects related to school education, and it is particularly interesting to see how these two projects approached different aspects with a similar spirit.
In the framework of the ITS Academy LAST project, the Free Software Foundation Europe and the Edulife Foundation, the operational partner of ITS Academy LAST, have developed a two-year agreement to deliver educational content to students about Free Software legal aspects, policy and public awareness.
The Next Generation Internet (NGI) Zero consortium, of which the FSFE is a partner, has just unveiled the NGI0 Commons Fund. This new public fund will award 21.6 million euro to small and medium R&D projects developing Free Software technologies that can improve the Internet.
We are starting 2024 with a lot of energy, looking for a policy intern and with great news: two new SFP episodes, the Router Freedom tech wiki, the ‘Ada & Zangemann’ ebook is free of charge in French, and we are looking forward to celebrating ‘I Love Free Software Day’ on 14 February!
The Free Software Foundation Europe, along with more than 10.000 hackers, took part in the 37th Chaos Communication Congress. It was a great pleasure to be back in Hamburg and to join the Chaos family for another amazing four-day congress. Thank you all for coming and participating in the Chaos!
Every year, on 14 February, the FSFE, together with Free Software organisations around the globe, celebrates “I Love Free Software Day”: a special day of appreciation to all the contributors to Free Software projects, large or small.
These days are quite special, right? So is our Christmas Software Freedom Podcast episode! In this 23rd episode, the FSFE goes crazy and has fun playing a guessing game with terms related to Free Software. This is the perfect episode for you to learn more about your favourite type of software: Free Software!
Companies increasingly aim to control how users interact with their content online, threatening user freedom. As more companies crack down on browser extensions and other third-party software used by internet users to customise their experiences, two recent German court cases on adblockers could strengthen the legal case for user control over technology.
In recent years we have focused on the policy and legal aspects of Router Freedom. Now, with the help of our Netherlands volunteer team, we are publishing the Router Freedom tech wiki, which provides information on the necessary steps you need to use and connect your own router. We need your help to get it printed!
We are looking for a motivated intern to support the FSFE’s policy activities and contribute to our work to empower people to control technology. The person will work 35 hours per week with our team in the FSFE Berlin office for a period of six months.
Pupils all over the world are learning about the story of "Ada & Zangemann - A Tale of Software, Skateboards and Raspberry Ice Cream": it is encouraging to see how new generations are inspired to start coding, and to write to Zangemann about his behaviour. Below a message from our president Matthias Kirschner to our readers.
El mes pasado, comenzó YH4F 2024, el Parlamento Alemán recibió la Carta Abierta de Upcycling Android, descubrimos que el ambicioso plan de la Ley de la Europa Interoperable se quedó en agua de borrajas, celebramos el compromiso de Bélgica con la Libertad del Router, ¡y muchas más noticias interesantes!
The Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, RTR, has decided not to regulate the network operators with regard to Router Freedom, allowing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to impose their equipment on consumers. For RTR, routers configured in “bridge mode” is synonymous with terminal equipment freedom. The FSFE laments this decision as a missed opportunity for Net Neutrality in Austria.
In our 22nd Software Freedom Podcast episode, we talk with Johannes Näder, Senior Policy Project Manager at the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), about "Public Money? Public Code!".
Abierto el plazo de inscripción para la edición de 2024 de Youth Hacking 4 Freedom, el concurso de programación para jóvenes europeos. Esta competición ofrece a los adolescentes la oportunidad de desarrollar su propio proyecto, individualmente o en equipo, entablar nuevas amistades por toda Europa y ganar hasta 4.096 euros.
On 14 November, the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) handed over the Open Letter “The right to install any software on any device" to Tabea Rößner, Chair of the Digital Affairs Committee at the German Bundestag. The letter aims to enable a more sustainable use of electronic products and devices in the European Union.
Nuestro Informe anual, Software Freedom in Europe 2023, ya está disponible. En la entrega de los premios YH4F, conocimos los impresionantes proyectos de los ganadores de esta edición, nuestro equipo viajó a Bolzano para asistir a la SFSCON y nos encanta descubrir que la especificación REUSE sigue ayudando a desarrolladores como los del Centro Aeroespacial Alemán. Descubre estas y otras historias en nuestro número de noviembre.
Decision makers are meeting to agree on the final text of the Interoperable Europe Act (IEA). There is a concerning wording related to giving priority to Free Software when implementing interoperable solutions and confusing criteria to do so. Overall, what could have been a very ambitious initiative turned out to be another regulation with ambiguous and problematic wording.
The Belgian telecom regulator BIPT formally introduced Router Freedom. The decision encompasses all network types including fiber (FTTx) and the decision sets a deadline of twelve months for becoming compliant. The FSFE acknowledges this decision as a major win for consumer rights, and will monitor further implementation.
The founder of Nextcloud received the European SFS Award at SFSCON. This recognition which was presented for the first time jointly by the Linux User Group Bolzano and the Free Software Foundation Europe, went to "a tireless advocate of digital freedom as universal right".
We cannot wait to be in Bolzano for the South Tyrol Free Software Conference (SFSCON) on 10 and 11 November. This two-day conference brings together Free Software advocates, decision makers and the general public at the gateway to the Dolomites. Our team will be there with talks, side events and a booth. We are ready to talk to you, so just drop by and say hello!
The FSFE is back for the Chaos Communication Congress! Come and join us at the end of December in the "Bits & Bäume" habitat and end the year in a fun and chaos way attending interesting talks and making new friends! The Call for Participation ends on 11 November so hurry up!
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) has adopted the REUSE specification in some of its projects. We have talked to Tobias Schlauch, research software engineer at the DLR, about the role of Free Software for research and innovation, and the importance of clear understanding and displaying of the legal information of software projects. He highlights the special contributions that REUSE has to offer for software development but also for research.
More than 70 people came together, in Cologne on 22 September, to get an insight into the Fediverse and to discuss the importance of decentralised social networks for our society. If you were not able to join our Fediverse Symposium or want to re-watch the talks, we now have the German-language recordings on our PeerTube instance for you!
In 2023, Software Freedom has been back on stage, while we have boosted our activities for the coming generations with our children's book and the coding competition for young Europeans. We have also continued to bring our demands to lawmakers, helped projects to become REUSE compliant, and shared many great moments with our community.
A real-time plotter for microcontrollers; a classroom quiz platform; a radio tool; a device that provides bags to pick up your dog's poo; a game engine to help non-programmers develop their ideas; and a program to search for a file on your computer by its hash. These are the six projects that won the 2023 edition of Youth Hacking 4 Freedom.
Both Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) and Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) are committed to defending and expanding software freedom and the rights of people to use, understand, share and improve their software.
Octubre comienza después de celebrarse el 40º aniversario del proyecto GNU, que señaló el inicio de nuestro movimiento del Software Libre. Nueva temporada política, tanto a nivel de la UE como nacional. Gracias por contribuir a hacer que nuestro vídeo Qué es el Software Libre esté disponible en más idiomas... ¡y tenemos nuestra primera lectura pública de Ada en italiano!
Durante cuatro décadas la comunidad del Software Libre ha estado trabajando para empoderar a los usuarios para que controlen la tecnología y para ayudar a nuestra sociedad a entender cómo el Software Libre contribuye a la libertad, la transparencia y la auto-determinación.
The German Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and the public IT service provider Dataport are working on administrative workspaces to enable digital sovereignty. But are both products Free Software? How are they related? We asked the BMI and publish the answers here.
Speaking about Digital Public Infrastructures last week, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pointed out that "the trick is to build public digital infrastructure that is interoperable, open to all and trusted". What exactly does this mean? What is required to achieve such an accessible digital infrastructure that can help foster innovation and allow cooperation on a global scale? What role does Free Software play in such ambition?
German network operators have requested the national regulator Bundesnetzagentur to start procedures to exclude Router Freedom from fiber networks. In a consultation, the FSFE picks apart all the telcos’ arguments and calls on the regulator to respect consumer rights.
Join the first reading of the book 'Ada & Zangemann' in Italian! Celebrate with us the Software Freedom Day 16 September listening to the story of Ada while eating homemade ice cream.
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is committed to empower users to control technolgy to digital civil rights, transparency and control over technology. It does this by promoting Free Software (also known as Open Source Software). In addition, Free Software promotes innovation and prevents vendor lock-in. Digital sovereignty is only possible with Free Software.
September brings the resumption of EU politics and the middle of the term of the current German government, and we look at them from a Free Software perspective. 'Ada & Zangemann' can now be ordered internationally, and you can help us translate our 'What is Free Software' video into more EU languages. And remember - rooting your device does not void its warranty.
From 29 August the English version of the book "Ada & Zangemann - A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry Ice Cream" is available internationally. The book tells the story of the famous inventor Zangemann and the girl Ada, a curious tinkerer. Ada begins to experiment with hardware and software and realises how important it is for her and others to control technology.
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), together with an alliance of civil society and the Free Software industry, calls on the German government to implement a sustainable digital policy and to provide the necessary funds in the federal budget now.
One of our favourite events was back this summer: Chaos Communication Camp 2023! This event brings together technologists, activists, and enthusiasts to discuss, share, and celebrate technology, privacy, and freedom in Brandenburg, Germany. This year, the Free Software Foundation Europe joined the campers as part of the 'Bits und Bäume' village.
After the summer recess, EU institutions are resuming their activities at the end of August. In the coming months, we expect to see the adoption of legislation that could have an impact on Free Software: the Cyber Resilience Act, the Product Liability Directive, the AI Act, and the Interoperable Europe Act. What does all this legislation mean for Free Software and its community?
Have you heard about Free Software and you want to know more about it? Are you already a Free Software advocate and do you want to help to bring software freedom to our society? Then our paid internships are for you! Learn by doing and gain knowledge and technical skills through an internship with us.
As users we sometimes face the issue of rooting our devices. We may want to regain control of our device or we may want to keep using a device with an outdated operating system. But we are afraid of losing our legal warranty. Let’s be clear: Just rooting your device and installing new software will not void the statutory warranty.
Agosto viene con las novedades de la CRA (Ley de Ciberresiliencia) y de la IEA (Ley de Europa Interoperable), un nuevo episodio de nuestro Software Freedom Podcast y el anuncio de nuestro simposio sobre redes sociales descentralizadas. Los participantes de YH4F -y nosotros también- esperamos las conclusiones del jurado sobre sus proyectos.
Listen to our new Software Freedom Podcast episode with Lina Ceballos. Lina and Bonnie talk about everything related to Free Software in European Politics. Learn more about Lina's work at the Free Software Foundation Europe and how political decisions come to pass in the EU. Discover how best to advocate for Free Software, and especially, what the Interoperable Europe Act is all about and why the Free Software communities need to be on the lookout for the protection of software freedom.
The second edition of Youth Hacking 4 Freedom, the hacking competition for young Europeans, has just ended. For the last six months, the participants have worked on developing their own personal Free Software projects.
The European Parliament today voted on its position on the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). While the position improves on the Commission's exemption to protect Free Software, it fails to introduce a proper protection . We call on the institutions to put the burden of liability only on those who significantly financially benefit from the market, while protecting developers and non-profit work.
Today the EU Parliament’s Committee responsible for the Interoperable Europe Act has adopted its final position. It is a step forward towards a more inclusive Interoperable Europe Board while it introduces clearer indicators and statistics to monitor the progress of the Act. This position must now be upheld during the upcoming trilogue.
Join our symposium in Cologne on September 22 to discuss the role of decentralised social media platforms in our society!
¡Julio ya está aquí y también llegó nuestro boletín electrónico! En esta entrega tenemos algunas actualizaciones de las últimas evoluciones de la Ley de Europa Interoperable, la Ley de Ciberresiliencia y la Ley de Inteligencia Artificial. Acaba de terminar la competición YH4F.
La Comisión de Mercado Interior y Protección del Consumidor (IMCO, por sus siglas del inglés) ha tomado hoy una decisión transcendental para la protección de los desarrolladores de Software Libre en la Ley de Ciberresiliencia (CRA, por sus siglas del inglés).
Los dos Comissiones de opinión del PE, IMCO y LIBE, han adoptado hoy sus textos sobre la Ley de Europa Interoperable (Interoperable Europe Board, en inglés). Aunque ambos reconocen la importancia del Software Libre para esta legislación, la inclusión de la comunidad del Software Libre en el Comité sigue siendo incierta. La redacción sobre los procesos de supervisión y evaluación va en la dirección correcta.
El actual proyecto del Consejo sobre la Ley de Europa Interoperable limita el Consejo de la Europa Interoperable (Interoperable Europe Board, en inglés), excluyendo a las partes interesadas de contribuir a una Europa más interoperable e innovadora. También hace falta una redacción mejorada en el ámbito de la supervisión y la presupuestación.
El Parlamento Europeo votó hoy a favor de la Ley de IA con 499 votos a favor, 28 en contra, y 93 abstenciones. Se han concedido garantías al Software Libre; estas normas deberán ser ahora defendidas en el trílogo y transferidas a la Ley de Ciberresiliencia y la Directiva de Responsabilidad por Producto.
A Free Software office and collaboration suite for the public sector is one of the projects with which the German government aims to fulfil the goals of the coalition agreement. But a closer look at the project raises questions: Where is the source code? Who is responsible? What happens to the public money involved? We asked the relevant ministry.
En junio tenemos novedades sobre la Ley Europea de Interoperabilidad y la Regulación de la IA, publicamos nuestra encuesta europea de la Libertad del Enrutador. Estuvimos en dos podcast y fuimos el 'Member of the spotlight' de Edri. Nuevo estudio sobre la regulación de la neutralidad en la red, lee la historia de la llegada de Ada la India rural.
El Comité Europeo de las Regiones aprobó su posicionamiento sobre la Ley de Europea Interoperable. El cuerpo representativo de la UE ha fallado a la hora de reconocer la importancia que el Software Libre tiene para la interoperabilidad y, por tanto, para la digitalización y la innovación. Esto remarca la relevancia de la participación de la Comunidad del Software Libre en el planificado Comité de Europa Interoperable.
A pan-European survey, run by the Free Software Foundation Europe, has collected information from more than 1600 end-users and highlighted several obstacles to Router Freedom, such as lack of freedom of choice, provider lock-in and promotion of equipment running exclusively proprietary software.
In a comprehensive survey, end-users from all over Europe shared their experience about ISPs’ commercial practices regarding terminal equipment and how Router Freedom is affected.
Today the European Parliament's responsible committees voted by a large majority to protect Free Software in the AI regulation. The plenary is called upon to uphold the idea. Likewise, this principle must be anchored in the ongoing Cyber Resilience Act and Product Liability Directive and their upcoming votes.
Youth Hacking 4 Freedom inspires European youth to use their skills for change. Konrad's learning platform for the amateur radio service exam is one example. Let's break down his project and see how YH4F helped him bring his vision to life. Join us in the exciting world of YH4F!
The 2023 edition of foss-north took place in Gothenburg on 24 and 25 April 2023. It was a great occasion to meet again in person with the Nordic Free Software community. Over 180 participants had the opportunity to learn about and discuss Free Software in more than 20 sessions.
After four years of waiting and many online conferences – probably too many –, the Chaos Communication Camp is finally back! Come and camp with us in the 'Bits & Bäume' village from 15th to 19th August 2023. The Free Software Foundation Europe is part of this year's 'Bits & Bäume' village.
En este boletín electrónico, lee sobre el proyecto NGI Zero de la UE, LWW, la FOSS-North, y la lucha de los estudiantes lituanos por evitar usar un sistema propietario 2FA. Nuevo episodio SFP sobre la Neutralidad del Dispositivo, y dos interesantes artículos, disfruta de las últimas lecturas de ‘Ada & Zangemann’ y descubre dos proyectos YH4F.
The Swedish city of Gothenburg hosted the 2023 edition of the Free Software Legal & Licensing Workshop (LLW), the annual conference for the Legal Network community. It was great to see so many old and new faces in person after two years online, and to learn, share and network about the legal and licensing issues facing current technology developments.
The Free Software Foundation Europe is a partner of the Next Generation Internet Zero consortium, which aims to build a more resilient, trustworthy and open Internet that empowers end users to control technology. The FSFE team provides support to NGI0 grantee projects on legal and licensing issues, as well as helping them to become REUSE compliant.
Join us for the 20th episode of the Software Freedom Podcast, where Bonnie Mehring and Lucas Lasota discuss Device Neutrality and Router Freedom. They cover the concepts and fundamentals of these initiatives and explain why end-users should have control over their devices.
Vilnius Tech officials attempted to enforce the use of proprietary two factor identification (2FA) methods. Some students were concerned the methods would compromise privacy and could not be run in their devices, and proposed an alternative way to get the authentication. Finally, the university reversed its decision.
While we wait for the projects developed by the participants of the second edition of the Youth Hacking 4 Freedom contest, let's go back to last year's edition to learn about two of the projects submitted.
The FSFE is organising a track covering political and legal aspects of Free Software at foss-north, the conference in Gothenburg that brings together Nordic Free Software communities. It will take place on April 24 and 25 preceded by the community day that will take place on April 23. It is time to register and get your tickets!
En abril discutimos las propuestas de la UE afectando al Software Libre: introducción de las reglas de responsabilidad en el software y Ley de Interoperabilidad Europea. Grecia asegura la Libertad del Enrutador pero excluye las conexiones de fibra.
The EU is currently debating the introduction of liability rules for software, including Free Software. The relevant proposals are the AI Act, Product Liability Directive (PLD), and Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). The way they are, all proposals will harm the Free Software ecosystem and thus the society and the economy.
La Ley sobre la Europa Interoperable (IEA, por sus siglas en inglés) pretende ayudar a la administración pública a compartir, reutilizar e integrar tecnologías de la información y datos a través de las fronteras. Faltan normas claras con actividades y presupuesto concretos. Se pasa por alto el papel de la sociedad civil y aún no hay definiciones claras de Software Libre y Estándares Abiertos.
The coding period of the Youth Hacking 4 Freedom hacking contest has been running for almost three months now. The competition continues to be a fun contest for young hackers to test and develop their skills. The previous edition ended with 35 great projects submitted with inspiring stories behind them. Read about Andrei's and David's projects.
The Greek regulator has adopted new rules introducing Router Freedom in the country. Since 2021, the FSFE has been working with policymakers to protect the interests of end-users. Supporting civil society and industry organisations backed the FSFE and contributed positively to this new law.
Today we are celebrating Women’s Day. Thank you to everyone who is making the tech sector more inclusive! Let’s continue working together to achieve gender parity and embrace equity. There might be problems coming our way, but we also have each other. Join us and meet the FSFE Women team.
Nuevo podcast sobre la necesidad de que los dispositivos médicos lleven Software Libre. Echa un vistazo a las charla que impartimos en FOSDEM y varios videos que resuelven cuestiones legales. Los participantes del YH4F ya están programando. Gracias a todas las contribuciones, nuestra campaña de recaudación de fondos terminó exitosamente. Noticias de la comunidad de 9 países.
On the 14th of February Free Software enthusiasts celebrated the 13th edition of the “I ❤️ Free Software Day”! Hundreds of people and numerous organisations shared their love for Free Software and reached out to the ones behind these projects. Thank you for taking part in the celebration of our favourite type of software: Free Software.
Tanto si te perdiste la FOSDEM como si no llegaste a tiempo para asistir a todas las sesiones, ¡no te preocupes! Echa un vistazo a nuestras sesiones de la última edición y aprende, profundizando en tu conocimiento, y mejorando tus habilidades sobre Software Libre.
foss-north is a Free Software conference in Gothenburg that brings together Nordic Free Software communities. This year, the Free Software Foundation Europe is organising a track covering political and legal aspects of Free Software, as well as best practices from Scandinavia. We're looking forward to your contribution by March 5!
Youth Hacking 4 Freedom, FSFE's coding competition for young Europeans, has just started. The kick-off event took place on the 26th of January with an online meeting for the participants of this year's competition. There they got the most important information about the contest while starting to get to know each other.
Gracias a vuestras valiosas aportaciones* hemos alcanzado nuestro objetivo de recaudación de fondos. Gracias por vuestra confianza y apoyo, incluso en estos tiempos difíciles. Estos fondos nos ayudarán a impulsar nuestras campañas y a organizar eventos y charlas para difundir nuestro trabajo, al tiempo que seguimos promoviendo la libertad del software.
For this episode Bonnie Mehring met with Karen Sandler to talk about her relationship with Free Software. Karen depends on a medical device to keep her heart working. This led her to become an advocate for Free Software in medical devices.
On the 14th of February the FSFE community meets up in diverse cities around Europe to celebrate ‘I Love Free Software Day’. Join our events in Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Switzerland and Spain.
FOSDEM 2023 is taking place in Brussels the first weekend of February. The FSFE team will be participating at the main Free Software convention in Europe with a booth and giving some keynotes. Are you going to be there? Come to our booth and do not miss our talks!
Dortmund is opening a new chapter in Free Software Governance and inspiring municipalities all over Germany. The recording of our event on 11 January 2023 is now online. Are you interested in Free Software and working in a municipal administration or in politics? Join our new mailing list to exchange information on Free Software in municipalities!
Are you a motivated person who wants to support FSFE's activities as an intern? If your background is in computer science, law, political science or another social science field, apply to become part of our team in our Berlin office, working 35 hours per week for a period of 6 months. Join us in empowering people to take control of technology!.
La municipalidad de Dortmund abraza el Software Libre y Bélgica trabaja para asegurar la Libertad del Enrutador. Una criptógrafa analiza la seguridad TI. Un ecosistema de salud digital licencia sus archivos con la herramienta REUSE. Buscamos un coordinador de oficina. Deseamos verles en los próximos eventos FOSDEM y I Love Free Software.
The FSFE Swiss local group launches an initiative with GNU/Linux.ch to encourage public institutions to use federated free software solutions to communicate with their people. FediGov is the name of this campaign that is encouraging people to ask their governments to adopt ethical communications.
Every February 14 the Free Software community around the world comes together to celebrate the “I Love Free Software Day”. On this special day we show our gratitude for every Free Software contributor. Join us in celebrating our love for Free Software and thank all the supporters of software freedom.
A cryptographer and privacy specialist Amandine Jambert, a.k.a. Cryptie, is our guest in the 18th Software Freedom Podcast episode. With her experience, Cryptie is the perfect person to tackle some basics about Security in Free Software.
In this 17th episode of the Software Freedom Podcast Matthias Kirschner and Petter Joelson uncover how Free Software can be a tool for citizens to actively participate in their local community. Petter invites you into the world of Decidim and explains what citizen participation should look like.
In this episode of the Software Freedom Podcast, Bonnie Mehring speaks with Hugo Roy about his long involvement with the FSFE. Hugo is also very active in the French Free Software community and gives us an overview of the standing of Free Software in France.
In November 2021 the FSFE has launched the new campaign "Upcycling Android". If you haven't already upcycled your phone or you are curious to learn more about the campaign listen to our new Software Freedom Podcast episode with the campaigns manager Erik Albers.
With this episode the Software Freedom Podcast opens the door to the fascinating and sometimes complex world of mesh networking. And who better than Elektra Wagenrad can take us on this journey? Elektra is one of the original developers of the B.A.T.M.A.N. protocol and of the Mesh Potato project.
The upcoming "I Love Free Software Day" will focus on Free Software Games. One of the most famous Free Software games is "0 A.D.: Empires Ascendant". In this episode Bonnie Mehring talks with Stanislas Dolcini, the project leader of 0 A.D., about the game itself, the project, and how the game became Free Software.
With our 12th episode of the Software Freedom Podcast we dig into the history and the beginning of enforcing Free Software licences, especially the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL). Together with Till Jaeger, who has been working alongside Harald Welte for enforcing the GNU GPL in the first court cases in Germany, we talk about the long way we have come since those early days.
Max Mehl and Bonnie Mehring talk about the REUSE initiative and the newly launched REUSE Booster programme. This 11th episode of the Software Freedom Podcast is the perfect match for you if you are interested in Free Software licensing and curious about how REUSE and its tools make that easier for developers and users.
In our 10th episode of the Software Freedom Podcast we talk with Elisa Lindinger from Superrr Lab. Together we discuss problems faced by Free Software projects and how to tackle them. In a broader frame we discover what would be needed for a more sustainable digital infrastructure and talk about the work Elisa does for this aim.
For this episode of the Software Freedom Podcast we talk about the background of the "I Love Free Software Day" and how it all began 11 years ago. Discover together with Bonnie Mehring why Free Software developers, advocates, activists and contributors think this special day is so important for Free Software.
In this Software Freedom Podcast episode Bonnie Mehring and Matthias Kirschner talk about the monetary costs of Free Software. On the example of a conversation Bonnie had with her mother, both discover ways of explaining the world of Free Software and how to answer common questions and misunderstandings about software freedom.
For the seventh episode of our Software Freedom Podcast we talk with Vincent Lequertier about transparency, fairness, and accessibility as crucial criteria for artificial intelligence (AI) and why it is important for our society to release AI software under a Free Software license.
We invited Miriam Ballhausen to talk with us about copyright enforcement. She is a German lawyer who focuses on software, data protection, copyright law and specifically Free Software copyright. This is the sixth regular episode of the Software Freedom Podcast for which we invite experts from our community.
For our Software Freedom Podcast we talk with people who have inspiring ideas about software freedom. In this special episode, we talk with Dr. Luis Falcón and Dr. Axel Braun about the Free health and hospital information system GNU Health.
Para nuestro Podcast de la Libertad del Software hablamos con personas que tienen ideas inspiradoras acerca de la libertad del software. En este episodio, conversamos con el Profesor Lawrence Lessig, fundador de Creative Commons, acerca de la regulación de la sociedad, en la vida real y en internet, sobre diferentes medios de regulación, y nos aclara las normativas a través del código.
In the monthly Software Freedom Podcast we talk with people who have inspiring ideas about software freedom. In this episode, we talk with Carmen Bianca Bakker about the REUSE project. By this we are covering the very broad topic of software licensing and the problems there, which REUSE is able to solve with three simple steps.
Once a month, we talk with people who have inspiring ideas about software freedom. In this third episode, our guest is Harald Welte, Free Software programmer and activist. Harald discusses with us his current projects regarding mobile phone communication and the general status of Free Software in this area.
We are back with the second episode of our Software Freedom Podcast! Once a month, we talk with people who have inspiring ideas about software freedom. In this episode, we talk with Lydia Pintscher from KDE about the development of the KDE community, the different KDE projects and the issues they will be tackling over the next two years.
We have a Podcast! Starting with this episode, we will talk once a month with people who have inspiring ideas about software freedom. In our first episode of our Software Freedom Podcast, we address the issue of Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) together with Cory Doctorow, a British-Canadian writer, political activist, and co-editor of the blog boingboing.net. Cory Doctorow is a prominent supporter of software freedom and a less restrictive copyright law. His books are published under Creative Commons licenses.