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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.
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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.
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.
Registration is now open for the 2024 edition of Youth Hacking 4 Freedom, the coding competition for young Europeans. This competition gives teenagers the opportunity to code their own projects – alone or in a team –, make new friends across Europe, and win up to €4,096!
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.
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.
For four decades the Free Software community has been working to empower users to control technology and to help our society understand how Free Software contributes to freedom, transparency and self-determination.
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.
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.
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!
The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) today launched a landmark decision to protect Free Software developers in the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).
The two EP Committees for opinion, IMCO and LIBE, have today adopted their texts on the Interoperable Europe Act. While both recognise the importance of Free Software for this regulation, the inclusion of the Free Software community in the Board remains uncertain. The wording on proper monitoring and evaluation goes in the right direction.
The current draft from the Council on the Interoperable Europe Act is limiting the Interoperable Europe Board, and with this excluding relevant stakeholders from contributing to a more interoperable and innovative Europe. There is also a lack of improved wording in the area of monitoring and budgeting.
The European Parliament today voted in favour of the AI Act with 499 votes in favour, 28 against, and 93 abstentions. Free Software is given safeguards; these rules must now be defended in the trilogue and transferred to the Cyber Resilience Act and the Product Liability Directive.
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.
The Committee of the Regions approved its opinion on the Interoperable Europe Act. The EU representative body has failed to recognise the importance that Free Software has for interoperability and thus for digitalisation and innovation. This underlines the relevance of the Free Software Community's participation in the planned Interoperable Board.
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.
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.
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!
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.
The Interoperable Europe Act (IEA) aims to assist public administration to share, reuse and integrate information technology and data across borders. Clear rules with concrete activities and budget are missing. The role of civil society is overlooked, and there are not yet clear definitions of Free Software and Open Standards.
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.
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.
Whether you missed FOSDEM or didn't have time to attend all of our sessions, don't worry! Have a look at all our sessions from the last edition and learn, deepen your knowledge, and improve your Free Software skills.
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.
Thanks to your valuable contributions, we have reached our fundraising target*. Thank you for your confidence and support, even in these difficult times. These funds will help us run our campaigns and organise events and talks to spread the word about our work, while continuing to promote software freedom.
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!.
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.