[FSFE PR][EN] "Freedomvote": 10 questions about digital freedom for the Swiss national election

[press at fsfeurope.org]

 = "Freedomvote": 10 questions about digital freedom for the Swiss national election =

[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2015/news-20150916-01.en.html ]

In anticipation of the Swiss national parliament elections (Nationalrat-
/ Ständeratswahlen) on 18 October 2015, FSFE Switzerland starts the
„Freedomvote“[1] campaign today, in cooperation with the "Swiss Open
Systems User Group“ (/ch/open). The campaign offers an online portal
that lists those candidates who will run for election, and their opinion
towards Internet policy, Free Software, and open data formats.

The Freedomvote campaign aims to give voters guidance about the
candidates who are running for election. For many voters nowadays, it is
important what candidates think about aspects of Internet politics, such
as freedom and user rights in the digital age. However, many politicians
still try to avoid these topics. With its Freedomvote campaign, the FSFE
Switzerland wants to change that and bring Internet policy topics and
the use of Free Software into the political agenda. All candidates are
invited to answer diverse questions affecting digital user rights,
e-voting, net neutrality, open data, educational material, Free Software
and encryption. In addition, candidates are welcome to explicitly
explain their own position and provide answers to each question in a
free text field. Based on the answers of the candidates, voters who care
about digital rights, receive help to decide for whom they might vote
for. To get the best results, it is also possible to set up one's own
profile as a voter in order to match your distinct answers with those of
the candidates.

„To answer the ten questions, candidates can use our platform directly
themself and forward the answers via their party, or directly contact
us" says Simon Wächter from Freedomvote, "what we hope for is active
encouragement of candidates from all parties to our transparency
initiative. The more who participate, the more can the campaign help to
offer good guidance for the voters."  FSFE Switzerland sends out
hundreds of mails and letters this week, to ask candidates for their
participation. You can help them by additionally asking the candidates
of your region about their participation, personally.

Besides the development and provision of Freedomvote by FSFE Switzerland
and /ch/open[2], the campaign is supported by various civil rights
organisations, such as Parldigi[3], Internet Society Switzerland
Chapter[4], Opendata.ch[5], Digitalle Allmend[6], and Willhelm Tux[7].
The underlying software of freedomvote.ch is self-developed and is
published as Free Software[8].

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 1. https://freedomvote.ch
 2. http://ch-open.ch/
 3. http://www.digitale-nachhaltigkeit.ch/
 4. http://www.isoc.ch/
 5. http://opendata.ch/
 6. http://allmend.ch/
 7. http://www.wilhelmtux.ch/
 8. https://freie.software/adfinis-sygroup/freedomvote

  == About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==

  The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
  non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
  involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
  participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
  the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
  Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
  furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
  modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues,
  securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people
  Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues
  of the FSFE.

  http://fsfe.org/