Chelsea Manning

Reality Winner

@zacchiro
I totally agree that size is not the issue and that shielding programme from sponsorship is required. But why would Palantir be a problem and not Google or Microsoft? In this moment of history, these latter two are at least as problematic as the former. By accepting them as legitimate sponsors, we grant them a legitimacy that they do not deserve.
@aral @cwebber @worolftune@social.coop

@freakazoid @aral You can maintain the safest digital hygiene, there's always someone who will leak information on your behalf, because they cannot see any harm done.

There's a trillion dollars business on mass surveillance: this is the one to blame, not yourself, not your relations, but the militaro-industrial complex that creates both Frontex and Smart Cities. These are the same people.

@desikn @aral

This is a sad day for free software. These companies must rejoice to have stepped over software freedom and demonstrated once more that capitalism can phagocyte anything.

#librelounge

GSoC is a perfect way for Google to keep activists quiet, because of the positive thought that, hey, they give back. Yes, Google also sponsors some key software, but it represents a tiny pile of money they can shuffle to tax savings. The cost/benefit in terms of image is illustrated by prominent free software activists saying publicly that GSoC is a good thing.

Both Google and Microsoft are enemies of free software, because they're enemies of freedom.

#librelounge hosts then mention that Google's SoC is a good thing. No it's not, on two accounts:

1. it legitimizes a mass surveillance company as acceptable because it gives away to free software (but not AGPL, eh)

2. it prevents the free software community from seeking alternate funding, e.g., public funding, that is more appropriate to infrastructure.

2/3

I must say that I disagree with both hosts of #librelounge on the Github acquisition and Google SoC.

Indeed Github was never free, but it was an independent company, now it's in the hands of *the* historical enemy of free software. That's worrying, because alternatives do not really exist. We were too busy enjoying the PR workflow to really think about it. Niche alternatives won't replace the large community there, and most of these people don't care at all about freedom. So it's a loss.

1/2

@aral @dada @loic @indie @Purism @gnome

I totally understand your position. I also told myself that this involvement with the Decentralized devroom was my last attempt at bringing back politics to free software. I already spent a lot of energy doing it, and if there's no way to make technicians realize the situation and understand their power and responsibility, then so be it, I have other things to do in my life than fighting lost battles.

"NGI Survey - How effective is EU support in Next Generation Internet?"

https://consultation.ngi.eu/ngi-survey

#NGI missing target.

Are you going to Amsterdam Privacy Conference this month?

#OfCourseNot

Clear and simple explanation why you should not support this event.

https://data-activism.net/2018/09/why-we-wont-be-at-apc-2018/

#APC 2018

http://fsfe.org/news/2018/news-20180905-02.en.html

One day left before the sentence.