= FSFE Newsletter July 2018 =
[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/nl/nl-201807.fi.html ]
== Save Code Share ==
On July 5, The European Parliament rejected the mandate to fast-track
the controversial legislation intended to reform online copyright. 318
MEPs voted against the draft law amended by the Legal Affairs (JURI)
committee, compared to 278 in favor. The legislation now opens up for a
new round of amendments, before being sent for a second vote in
September.
This rejection by a majority of MEPs can be seen as the success of
creative and massive protest by citizens and civil rights organisations.
The FSFE, together with Open Forum Europe, explained [1] how the
proposed EU Copyright review can substantially threaten Free Software
development by forcing online code sharing repositories to use filters
that monitor and preemptively take down any content that could
potentially infringe copyright, including entire code repositories.
Instead of that, we ask the European Union to Save Code Share [2].
More than 13.000 individuals have already signed our open letter [3]
asking to preserve the ability to share and build software online, and
lots of Free Software supporters raised their voice. It was a success to
see that, in the JURI report Free Software code sharing platforms were
listed as an exempted service. While JURI proposed to spare Free
Software code sharing platforms from the new filtering obligations, the
changes committee tried to introduce for the remaining online
environment remain dangerous for the rest of the Internet ecosystem.
In September, MEPs will once again vote in plenary to either 1) confirm
the mandate as proposed by the committee, 2) amend it, or 3) reject it
entirely. That includes the possibility that an exemption for Free
Software code hosting platforms will not be in future versions of the
draft law.
Hence, together with OFE, we at FSFE will continue to raise our voice
and to explain the lawmakers about harmful implications of the current
copyright reform for Free Software.
== The FSFE's Community Meeting 2018 ==
This year, we had the pleasure to align with hackstub [4], the
organisation behind the Libre Software Meeting 2018 (also known as
RMLL), to organise a policy track for FSFE and to run our annual
community meeting [5] at the same conference.
This turned out to be a very good chance for cooperation, and all
participants benefited from a well-equipped and well-organised
convention. We received a lot of positive feedback and look forward to
catch up on the many good ideas and activities proposed in our sessions.
Herewith a big thank you to hackstub and to everyone who participated!
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== What else have we done? Inside and Outside the FSFE ==
- It is summertime in Europe and there is less activity, because people
have vacations. Our community planet [7] is more silent these days and
there are just a few events and conferences happening throughout
Europe. Nevertheless, the FSFE's CARE team [8] met with an extended
round of community members for a full day, to get training on the
proper implementation of our code of conduct [9].
- Francesca Bria, CTO of Barcelona, is reshaping the modern city's
infrastucture and technologies to put citizen's needs first. We have
conducted an interview with her about how to use Free Software to
build a more democratic, inclusive and sustainable digital society
[10].
- Free Software is about sharing knowledge and sources and that's what
Hook did this month by blogging a review of some Vahdam’s Masala Chai
teas [11].
- OW2 published a video [12] with Max Mehl, who gave a keynote about
"Public Money? Public Code!" and the modernisation of public digital
infrastructure at OW2con'18.
== Get Active ==
Current EU copyright reform is on summer break but will be re-opened in
September. The initially proposed Article 13 of the EU Copyright
Directive targets every online service that allows its users to upload
and share content with each other, including code hosting platforms.
Help us to prevent such an implementation and to Save Code Share [13] by
signing our open letter and ask others to do so as well.
== Contribute to our newsletter ==
If you would like to share any thoughts, pictures, or news, send them to
us. As always, the address is newsletter(a)fsfe.org [14]. We're looking
forward to hearing from you!
Thanks to our community, all the volunteers [15], supporters [16] and
donors [17] who make our work possible. And thanks to our translators
[18], who enable you to read this newsletter in your mother tongue.
The FSFE wishes everyone nice summertime and will be back with the
Newsletter in September.
Your editor,
Erik Albers
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1: https://fsfe.org/news/2017/news-20171005-01
2: https://savecodeshare.eu/
3: https://savecodeshare.eu/#sign-letter
4: https://hackstub.netlib.re/landpage/
5: https://wiki.fsfe.org/Events/LSMandCommunityMeeting2018
6: https://fsfe.org/join/nl2018-06
7: http://planet.fsfe.org/
8: https://fsfe.org/about/codeofconduct#CARE
9: https://fsfe.org/about/codeofconduct
10: https://fsfe.org/news/2018/news-20180705-01
11: http://matija.suklje.name/review-of-some-vahdams-masala-chai-teas
12: https://www.youtube.com/embed/kQGw25xG_5c
13: https://savecodeshare.eu/
14: https://fsfe.org/mailto:newsletterATfsfeDOTorg
15: https://fsfe.org/contribute/contribute
16: https://fsfe.org/join
17: https://fsfe.org/donate/thankgnus
18: https://fsfe.org/contribute/translators/translators
19: https://fsfe.org/join/nl2018-06