Argent public ? Code public ! 31 organisations demandent l’amélioration des procédures de marchés publics pour les logiciels.

Les services numériques offerts et utilisés par nos administrations publiques sont les infrastructures critiques du 21e siècle des nations démocratiques. Afin d’établir des systèmes fiables, les institutions publiques doivent faire en sorte d’avoir le contrôle entier du logiciel et des systèmes informatiques au cœur de notre infrastructure numérique étatique. Ce n’est pourtant pas le cas actuellement pour des raisons de licences logicielles restrictives.

Aujourd'hui, 31 organisations publient une lettre ouverte dans laquelle elles appellent le législateur à mettre en œuvre une législation qui requiert que le logiciel financé par le contribuable pour le secteur public soit disponible publiquement sous une licence de Logiciel Libre et Open Source. Les premiers signataires incluent CCC, EDRi, Free Software Foundation Europe, KDE, Open Knowledge Foundation Germany, Open Source Business Alliance, Open Source Initiative, The Document Foundation, Wikimedia Deutschland, ainsi que plusieurs autres organisations; elles invitent les individus à signer la lettre ouverte. La lettre ouverte sera envoyée aux candidats pour les élections législatives en Allemagne et, pendant les prochains mois, jusqu'aux élections européennes en 2019, aux autres responsables politiques de l'UE et des États membres.

“Parce que le code source des logiciels propriétaires est souvent un secret d’affaires, la difficulté de trouver des failles de sécurité accidentelles ou volontaires dans des logiciels critiques augmente radicalement. La rétro-ingénierie de logiciels propriétaires dans le but de les améliorer ou les renforcer est une nécessité absolue dans l’environnement d’aujourd’hui, mais cette condition technique élémentaire est illégale dans de nombreuses circonstances et juridictions. Après que des infrastructures stratégiques telles que des hôpitaux, des usines automobiles et des cargos de fret aient toutes été déconnectées cette année à cause de failles dissimulées dans du logiciel propriétaire, un Code non vérifiable est un luxe que les États ne peuvent plus compenser avec des privilèges juridiques spéciaux sans le payer en vies humaines.

En ce moment-même, la majorité des plans de notre infrastructure la plus critique n’est tout simplement pas disponible au public. En alignant le financement public avec une obligation de Logiciel Libre (NdT Free software en anglais) – “Free” dans le sens de la disponibilité publique du code et non pas du coût – nous pouvons trouver et réparer les failles avant qu’elles ne soient utilisées pour éteindre la lumière dans l’hôpital d'à côté.”

Edward Snowden, Président de la Freedom of the Press Foundation à propos du lancement de la campagne “Public Money Public Code”.

Les institutions publiques dépensent chaque année des millions d'euros dans le développement de nouveaux logiciels sur mesure pour leurs besoins. La procédure d'appel d'offre joue un rôle fondamental sur quelles entreprises sont autorisées à entrer en compétition et quels logiciels sont payés avec l'argent du contribuable. Les administrations publiques à différents niveaux rencontrent souvent des problèmes pour partager le code source du logiciel entre elles, même si elles ont entièrement financé son développement. De plus, sans la possibilité pour des tiers indépendants d'effectuer des audits ou d'autres contrôles de sécurité sur le code, les données sensibles des citoyens sont en danger.

"Nous avons besoin de logiciels qui favorisent l’échange de bonnes pratiques et solutions. C’est seulement ainsi que nous pourrons améliorer les services informatiques aux personnes dans toute l'Europe. Nous avons besoin de logiciels qui aident les administrations publiques à reprendre le plein contrôle de leur infrastructure numérique et stratégique, leur permettant de devenir et rester indépendantes d’une poignée d’entreprises."

Matthias Kirschner, Président de la Free Software Foundation Europe.

C'est pourquoi les signataires appellent les représentants dans toute l'Europe à moderniser l'infrastructure publique pour permettre aux autres administrations, entreprises, ou individus de pouvoir librement utiliser, comprendre, modifier et partager les logiciels. Ces droits permettent de soutenir d'autres droits fondamentaux tels que la liberté d'expression, la liberté de la presse et la vie privée. Ceci garantit que les administrations publiques ne subissent le cloisonnement captif d'entreprises spécifiques qui utilisent des licences restrictives pour entraver la concurrence, ainsi que de veiller à ce que le code source soit accessible afin de pouvoir sceller les portes dérobées et réparer les failles de sécurité sans dépendre d’un unique prestataire de services.

"Les institutions publiques sont financées par l’impôt. Elles devraient utiliser les finances publiques d'une manière responsable et le plus efficacement possible dans l’intérêt général. S’il s’agit d’argent public, le code devrait être également public !" dit Kirschner.

Argent Public ? Code Public ! = Public Money? Public Code!

En savoir plus Lettre ouverte Signer la lettre ouverte ! Vidéo (3:47) sous formats(publiée sous licence CC-By 4.0 ), ou aussi pour l’intégration sur Vimeo et Youtube Les premiers signataires April Associação Ensino Livre Associação Nacional para o Software Livre (ANSOL) Chaos Computer Club (CCC) Courage Foundation D3-Defesa dos Direitos Digitais Digitalcourage Digitale Gesellschaft Dyne.org Foundation ePaństwo Foundation European Digital Rights (EDRi) Expose Facts Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) GFOSS HackYourPhD KDE Linux User Group Of Slovenia (LUGOS) Linuxwochen Modern Poland Foundation quintessenz Open Knowledge Foundation Deutschland Open Labs Open Rights Group Open Source Business Alliance Open Source Initiative (OSI) openSUSE Public Software CIC Software Liberty Association Taiwan The Document Foundation Wikimedia Deutschland Xnet

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FSFE in 2020Reaffirming our identity

Our world is constantly changing, as are people's thoughts and perceptions. Since its founding in 2001, individuals engaged in the FSFE, from coordinators and volunteers to full-time employees, have come to develop their understanding of what FSFE is and what our shared values are. Sometimes the views expressed by individuals have been similar to one another, sometimes they have diverged.

A strategy review in 2014 identified at least seven different ways that people give on describing and communicating FSFE. This phenomenon is a result of the process of change and is all fine; expected even, as an organisation grows and develops over time. Moving forward, we see a need for us to come together under a common identity; a shared understanding of what FSFE is, what’s important in our work, what values we have and share, and how this shapes FSFE of the future.

This is one of the first logotypes for the FSFE, used from 2001 to 2006. We have come a long way since then, and it's time to reaffirm the identity the organisation has grown into.

With the FSFE in 2020 project, we are looking to redefine and renew the identity of FSFE, a process similar to one we undertook when founding the organisation. Now, 15 years later, we will be able to reflect on our work over the years and come to an understanding of what aspects of our identity has remained genuine and guided the organisation through these 15 years.

In our work, we have a steering group consisting of our executive director (Jonas Öberg), two representatives from our supporters (Mirko Boehm, Daniel Pocock), two of our members (Alessandro Rubini and Cryptie) and one member of staff (Erik Albers). Together with Kristi Progri as the project assistant in this work, they will try to steer us right on our path towards rediscovering FSFEs organisational identity.

Our primary focus will be on taking interviews from volunteers, coordinators, employees and others who feel that they have a connection with FSFE. We will also talk to people outside of the FSFE who have come in contact with our work and will be able to reflect not only on how we perceive the FSFE inside of it, but how we’ve managed to convey our identity to the public over the years.

As we work on this for the next few months, there will be several opportunities for all parts of our community to be heard: we will ask individuals to participate in interviews, sometimes directly, sometimes by asking for people who are interested in participating. We’ll conduct surveys circulated through our community and newsletter, and we will share our findings regularly, on our web pages, and on our team wiki.

We’re starting on an exciting adventure, and we hope you will join us on our way forward!

Support FSFE, join the Fellowship
Make a one time donation

FSFE in 2020Reaffirming our identity

Our world is constantly changing, as are people's thoughts and perceptions. Since its founding in 2001, individuals engaged in the FSFE, from coordinators and volunteers to full-time employees, have come to develop their understanding of what FSFE is and what our shared values are. Sometimes the views expressed by individuals have been similar to one another, sometimes they have diverged.

A strategy review in 2014 identified at least seven different ways that people give on describing and communicating FSFE. This phenomenon is a result of the process of change and is all fine; expected even, as an organisation grows and develops over time. Moving forward, we see a need for us to come together under a common identity; a shared understanding of what FSFE is, what’s important in our work, what values we have and share, and how this shapes FSFE of the future.

This is one of the first logotypes for the FSFE, used from 2001 to 2006. We have come a long way since then, and it's time to reaffirm the identity the organisation has grown into.

With the FSFE in 2020 project, we are looking to redefine and renew the identity of FSFE, a process similar to one we undertook when founding the organisation. Now, 15 years later, we will be able to reflect on our work over the years and come to an understanding of what aspects of our identity has remained genuine and guided the organisation through these 15 years.

In our work, we have a steering group consisting of our executive director (Jonas Öberg), two representatives from our supporters (Mirko Boehm, Daniel Pocock), two of our members (Alessandro Rubini and Cryptie) and one member of staff (Erik Albers). Together with Kristi Progri as the project assistant in this work, they will try to steer us right on our path towards rediscovering FSFEs organisational identity.

Our primary focus will be on taking interviews from volunteers, coordinators, employees and others who feel that they have a connection with FSFE. We will also talk to people outside of the FSFE who have come in contact with our work and will be able to reflect not only on how we perceive the FSFE inside of it, but how we’ve managed to convey our identity to the public over the years.

As we work on this for the next few months, there will be several opportunities for all parts of our community to be heard: we will ask individuals to participate in interviews, sometimes directly, sometimes by asking for people who are interested in participating. We’ll conduct surveys circulated through our community and newsletter, and we will share our findings regularly, on our web pages, and on our team wiki.

We’re starting on an exciting adventure, and we hope you will join us on our way forward!

Support FSFE, join the Fellowship
Make a one time donation

European Copyright reform hampers Free Software development

The FSFE and Open Forum Europe teamed up for an initiative to show the implications of the proposed EU copyright reform for the Free Software development ecosystem: Save Code Share. As part of this initiative, today we release our White Paper which highlights the ways in which the proposed Article 13 could unintentionally harm the communities and the businesses built around Free Software.

Free Software is often built by collaborative networks of programmers that rely on code hosting services. Free Software allows and encourages modifications and improvements made by everyone. For that, the software is shared with everybody under terms that allow using it, studying its source code, sharing it along, and customising it according to one's needs. This is often done on code sharing platforms.

With its copyright proposal, the EU has decided to update the rules applicable for online service providers, mainly targeting content sharing platforms. The new rules proposed by the EU will create legal uncertainty for developers using online tools when contributing to the Free Software projects through online code sharing platforms. Those proposed obligations on code sharing platforms will threaten their existence, and effective online co-development by:

Imposing on code sharing platforms the use of costly filtering technologies to prevent any possible copyright infringement Imposing an illegal monitoring obligation to track their every user "As a result, every user, of a code sharing platform: an individual, company, or a public body is treated as a potential copyright infringer whose content, including the whole code repositories, can be taken down and disabled at any time." says Polina Malaja, Policy Analyst and Legal Coordinator at the FSFE.

After explaining how Free Software platforms work in practice, the White Paper shows how Article 13 restricts important fundamental rights of developers and internet users such as the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and the freedom to conduct a business. Article 13, as currently proposed, would shift the responsibility for protecting allegedly infringed rights from rightholders to the platforms, in a way that would harm fundamental rights and negatively impact collaborative software development, and especially Free Software.

If Article 13 has completely missed this impact in the software sharing environment, it is likely that there are other unforeseen impacts that the proposed Copyright Directive can have. The legislators need to make sure they understand where and how innovation takes place nowadays, to fully grasp the consequences and implications that the proposed Article 13 can create for our economy and our society.

Read our White Paper in full here.

Support FSFE, join the Fellowship
Make a one time donation

European Copyright reform hampers Free Software development

The FSFE and Open Forum Europe teamed up for an initiative to show the implications of the proposed EU copyright reform for the Free Software development ecosystem: Save Code Share. As part of this initiative, today we release our White Paper which highlights the ways in which the proposed Article 13 could unintentionally harm the communities and the businesses built around Free Software.

Free Software is often built by collaborative networks of programmers that rely on code hosting services. Free Software allows and encourages modifications and improvements made by everyone. For that, the software is shared with everybody under terms that allow using it, studying its source code, sharing it along, and customising it according to one's needs. This is often done on code sharing platforms.

With its copyright proposal, the EU has decided to update the rules applicable for online service providers, mainly targeting content sharing platforms. The new rules proposed by the EU will create legal uncertainty for developers using online tools when contributing to the Free Software projects through online code sharing platforms. Those proposed obligations on code sharing platforms will threaten their existence, and effective online co-development by:

Imposing on code sharing platforms the use of costly filtering technologies to prevent any possible copyright infringement Imposing an illegal monitoring obligation to track their every user "As a result, every user, of a code sharing platform: an individual, company, or a public body is treated as a potential copyright infringer whose content, including the whole code repositories, can be taken down and disabled at any time." says Polina Malaja, Policy Analyst and Legal Coordinator at the FSFE.

After explaining how Free Software platforms work in practice, the White Paper shows how Article 13 restricts important fundamental rights of developers and internet users such as the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and the freedom to conduct a business. Article 13, as currently proposed, would shift the responsibility for protecting allegedly infringed rights from rightholders to the platforms, in a way that would harm fundamental rights and negatively impact collaborative software development, and especially Free Software.

If Article 13 has completely missed this impact in the software sharing environment, it is likely that there are other unforeseen impacts that the proposed Copyright Directive can have. The legislators need to make sure they understand where and how innovation takes place nowadays, to fully grasp the consequences and implications that the proposed Article 13 can create for our economy and our society.

Read our White Paper in full here.

Support FSFE, join the Fellowship
Make a one time donation