Protect your freedom and privacy; join us in creating an Internet that's safer from surveillance — Free Software Foundation

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <meta http-equiv="Keywords" content="FSF, Free Software Foundation, Free Software, Libre Software" /> <meta http-equiv="Description" content="The FSF is a charity with a worldwide mission to advance software freedom." /> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge" /> <base href="https://www.fsf.org/associate/campaigns/surveillance/" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=0.6666; maximum-scale=1.0; minimum-scale=0.6666" /> <meta name="generator" content="Plone - https://plone.org" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> <meta name="generator" content="Plone - https://plone.org" /> <title>Protect your freedom and privacy; join us in creating an Internet that's safer from surveillance — Free Software Foundation — Working together for free software</title> <link rel="copyright" title="Copyright information" href="//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/rdf" /> <link rel="author" title="Author information" href="//about/staff/" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="print" href="//static.fsf.org/nosvn/plone3/css/print-2011-10-13.css" /> <style type="text/css" media="screen"> @import url('//static.fsf.org/nosvn/plone4/css/fsf-2017-11-13.css');</style> <link rel="alternate" title="FSF News" href="//static.fsf.org/fsforg/rss/news.xml" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link rel="alternate" title="FSF Events" href="//static.fsf.org/fsforg/rss/events.xml" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link rel="alternate" title="FSF Blogs" href="//static.fsf.org/fsforg/rss/blogs.xml" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link rel="alternate" title="Free Software Jobs" href="//static.fsf.org/fsforg/rss/jobs.xml" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link rel="alternate" title="GNU Project News" href="//www.gnu.org/rss/whatsnew.rss" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link rel="alternate" title="New Free Software" href="//www.gnu.org/rss/quagga.rss" type="application/rss+xml" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" /> <style type="text/css"> #breadcrumbs-you-are-here, #breadcrumbs-home, #breadcrumbs-current, #breadcrumbs-1 { display: none; } .GNUreleases{ background-color: #ffffe3; border: 1px solid #000000; color: Black; font-weight: bold; width: 200px; padding: 10px; } #portal-languageselector {display: block; position: absolute !important; bottom: 1px; left: 1px;} .navi { margin-top: 0px; } body * { font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } /* Responsive */ @media only screen and (max-width: 990px) { html body, #coolio #fsf-nav, #coolio .custom-doc { min-width: 100%!important; } body, .custom-doc{ margin: unset!important; padding: none!important; width: unset!important; } body{ max-width: 420px!important; overflow-x: hidden!important; font-size:110%!important; } .yui-t5{ margin: none!important; padding: none!important; margin: unset!important; } #bd, #coolio{ max-width: 100vw!important; } .navi div ul { margin:0 auto!important; } .navi { max-width: 100vw!important; height: auto !important; } .yui-b{ margin:unset!important; } #fsf-sidebar{ margin:0 20% 0 20%!important; float:left!important; width:unset!important; clear:both!important; } header, .navi ul { max-width: 100vw!important; text-align: center!important; } #fsf-logo, #fsf-custom, #join-button, #portal-personaltools-wrapper, #portal-personaltools{ position: unset!important; float:none!important; width: auto!important; } #fsf-logo{ margin:20px 0 0 0!important; } #join-button{ margin:0 0 15px 0!important; } #powered-by{ margin:15px auto!important; width: 250px!important; } #ft{ padding: 10px!important; margin:0 auto!important; max-width: 90vw!important; } footer div.yui-g{ float: left!important; width:100%!important; margin:0!important; padding:0!important; } img{ max-width: 100%!important; } p{ word-break: break-word } input.searchPage { font-size: unset !important; max-width: 80vw } fieldset { margin:0!important; padding: 0!important; } #ft nav div div div { width:50%!important; } } @media only screen and (min-width: 990px) { #ft nav div div { width:50%!important; } } </style> </head> <body class="template-document_view portaltype-document site-fsf section-campaigns subsection-surveillance icons-on userrole-anonymous" dir="ltr">    <div id="coolio"> <p class="onlyMobile"><a tabindex="1" href="#content">Skip to content</a>, <a tabindex="2" href="/sitemap#content">sitemap</a> or <a tabindex="3" href="/search_form#content">skip to search</a>.</p> <div id="hd" style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 6px;" class="custom-doc visualNoPrint"> <header> <a href="/"> <img id="fsf-logo" style="position: absolute; bottom: 0px;" src="//static.fsf.org/common/img/logo-new.png" /> </a> <div id="portal-personaltools-wrapper"> <div id="fsf-custom"> <h5 class="hiddenStructure">Personal tools</h5> <ul id="portal-personaltools"> <li> <a href="https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/member-dashboard" id="personaltools-login">Log in</a> </li> <li> <a href="http://www.fsf.org/help-menu" id="personaltools-login-problems">Help!</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/associate/about-the-members-forum" id="personaltools-forum-promo">Members forum</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <a href="//fsf.org/jfb"> <img id="join-button" src="//static.fsf.org/nosvn/join.en.png" alt="Join now" style="float: right;" /> </a> </header> </div> <div class="yui-g" id="fsf-nav"> <div class="navi"> <div> <div class="custom-doc"> <nav> <ul class="main-nav navigation"> <li><a href="/about/" title="">About</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/" title="">Campaigns</a></li> <li><a href="/licensing/" title="">Licensing</a></li> <li><a href="/associate/" title="">Membership</a></li> <li><a href="/resources/" title="">Resources</a></li> <li><a href="/community/" title="">Community</a></li> <li><a href="/donate/" title="">♥Donate♥</a></li> <li><a href="//shop.fsf.org/" title="">Shop</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/@@search" class="search-link"><span class="link-text">Search</span><span class="search-icon"></span></a></li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="custom-doc yui-t5"> <div id="bd"><div id="yui-main"> <div class="yui-g"><div class="yui-b"> <div id="portal-column-content" class="cell width-3:4 position-0"> <div id="viewlet-above-content"><div id="portal-breadcrumbs"> <span id="breadcrumbs-you-are-here">You are here:</span> <span id="breadcrumbs-home"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org">Home</a> <span class="breadcrumbSeparator"> &rsaquo; </span> </span> <span id="breadcrumbs-1" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/campaigns">Campaigns</a> <span class="breadcrumbSeparator"> &rsaquo; </span> </span> <span id="breadcrumbs-2" dir="ltr"> <span id="breadcrumbs-current">Protect your freedom and privacy; join us in creating an Internet that's safer from surveillance </span> </span> </div></div> <div class=""> <dl class="portalMessage info" id="kssPortalMessage" style="display:none"> <dt>Info</dt> <dd></dd> </dl> <article> <div id="content"> <div id="viewlet-above-content-title"></div> <h1 id="parent-fieldname-title" class="documentFirstHeading"> Protect your freedom and privacy; join us in creating an Internet that's safer from surveillance </h1> <div id="viewlet-below-content-title"><div class="documentByLine" id="plone-document-byline"> <span class="documentAuthor"> by <a href="https://www.fsf.org/author/zakkai">Zak Rogoff</a> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/contribs/zakkai" class="netscape4"> Contributions </a> </span> <span class="documentModified"> — <span> Published on </span> Jul 18, 2013 05:10 PM </span> </div></div> <div id="viewlet-above-content-body"> </div> <div id="content-core"> <div class="" id="parent-fieldname-text-2dbe56dc3cc146fc9e493867a309e1f4"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" property="stylesheet" href="//static.fsf.org/nosvn/plone3/css/hide-date.css"> <div style="float: right; width: 250px; margin: 10px 0px 10px 10px; padding: 4px; background-color: #EEEEEE; text-align: center;"> <img alt="#NSA killed my Internet. Now I have to build a GNU one." src="//static.fsf.org/nosvn/images/gnu_internet.jpg" width="250" /></p> <p style="margin: 10px 0px;">One of the goals of the <a href="https://www.gnu.org">GNU Project</a> is to build decentralized, free software Web platforms that are harder to surveill. <em>Photo <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">CC BY SA 2.0</a> <a href="https://secure.flickr.com/photos/greenoid/">greenoid</a></em>.</p></div> <p>Mass-scale surveillance like <a href="https://www.fsf.org/news/free-software-foundation-statement-on-prism-revelations">PRISM</a> is disturbing, but is an unsurprising effect of how centralized the Web is today. For years, people have been trusting more and more of their data to remotely hosted systems. Users are also giving up control of their computing to <a href="https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">Service as a Software Substitute (SaaSS)</a>, remotely-hosted programs that exchange data with users to do computing that they could do on their own machines. In both cases, there's no way to see what these servers are doing with your data, so you have to take the host's word for it that they are being responsible. But these companies submit to governments when they ask for your information, whether it's ostensibly to fight terrorism or to stop unauthorized copying.</p> <p>If we want to defang surveillance programs like PRISM, we need to stop using centralized systems and come together to build an Internet that's decentralized, trustworthy, and free "as in freedom." The good news is that the seeds of such a network are already out there; as we wrote in our <a href="https://www.fsf.org/news/free-software-foundation-statement-on-prism-revelations">statement on PRISM</a>, ethical developers have been working for years on free software social media, communication, publishing, and more. Being decentralized means that these programs don't concentrate everyone's data into a honeypot to attract snooping corporations and governments. Being free software means that it's harder for them to keep secrets from users, and that anyone can modify them to remove features they aren't comfortable with. In fact, those interested in surveillance have been known to require people to use proprietary programs to make it easier to keep tabs on them.</p> <p>We have the tools to build a better Internet. All that's missing is for a large number of people to leave the systems and services that make us vulnerable and put their energy and passion to work. The more of us who get on board with safer platforms and modes of communication, the stronger we all become.</p> <h2>What you can do</h2> <div style="float:right; border:1px solid black; width:200px; margin:7px; padding:4px"> <h3>Actions for developers</h3> <ul> <li>Bring safe Web platforms to more people by setting up an instance of software designed for network services, such as <a href="https://joinmastodon.org">Mastodon</a> or <a href="https://gnu.org/s/social">GNU social</a>.</li> <li>Contribute to the code base of a <a href="https://gnunet.org/">GNUnet</a> or another <a href="http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Collection:PRISM">free software project created with users' privacy in mind</a>.</li> </ul> </div> <ul> <li>Use encryption to encode your electronic communication so that nobody but the intended recipients can read it. Get started at <a href="https://emailselfdefense.fsf.org">Email Self-Defense</a>, the FSF's beginner guide to use email encryption with free software. Encrypt everything you can: if you only encrypt sensitive communication, those messages raise extra suspicion from surveillance programs.</li> <li>Don't use <a href="https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">Service as a Software Substitute</a>.</li> <li>Close your accounts with systems that can't be trusted with your data. Switch to free, safer replacements like the ones listed in the <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Collection:PRISM">PRISM collection</a> on the Free Software Directory and <a href="https://prism-break.org">prism-break.org</a>. Bring your friends with you! </li> <li>Donate to the teams working on <a href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Collection:PRISM">free software systems that protect your privacy</a> or to the <a href="https://my.fsf.org/associate/support_freedom">FSF</a>.</li> <li>Start using encryption to make your communication harder to snoop. <a href="http://www.gnupg.org/">GPG for email</a> and <a href="http://www.cypherpunks.ca/otr/">OTR for instant messaging</a> are great places to start.</li> <li> Hang our <a href="https://static.fsf.org/nosvn/posters/privacy-free-software-sign-revised.svg">"Privacy is impossible without free software"</a> poster in your home, workplace, or local hangout.</li> </ul> <h2>Learn more about privacy and freedom on the Web</h2> <h3>Free software against surveillance</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/we-have-nothing-to-hide-only-everything-to-protect"> We have nothing to hide, only everything to protect</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/take-action-protect-end-to-end-encryption"> Take action! Protect end-to-end encryption</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/from-pro-democracy-activist-to-minorities-why-people-use-tor-and-encrypted-chats">From pro-democracy activists to minorities: Why people use Tor and encrypted chats</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/parents-domestic-violence-victims-lawyers-read-about-people-who-protect-their-privacy-with-free-software">Parents, domestic violence victims, lawyers: Read about people who protect their privacy with free software</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/privacy-and-freedom-should-be-the-legacy-we-leave-not-the-opposite">Privacy and freedom should be the legacy we leave, not the opposite</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2022/spring/unjust-algorithms/">Unjust algorithms</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/earn-it-threatens-encryption-and-therefore-user-freedom">EARN-IT threatens encryption and therefore user freedom</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/undermine-mass-surveillance-with-free-software-and-your-phone-calls">January 2018: Oppose renewal of FISA Section 702</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/protect-your-privacy-resist-mass-cracking-by-us-law-enforcement">July 2016: Resist mass cracking by US law enforcement</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2013/fall/how-can-free-software-protect-us-from-surveillance">"How free software can protect us from surveillance"</a> by Zak Rogoff <li><a href="https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">"Who does that server really serve?"</a> by Richard Stallman</li> <li><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/06/17/identi_ca_diaspora_and_friendica_are_more_secure_alternatives_to_facebook.html">"How to block the NSA from your friends list,"</a> a Slate article co-authored by FSF campaigns manager Libby Reinish</li> </ul> </li> <h3>How mass surveillance works, socially and technically</h3> <ul> <li><a href="http://media.libreplanet.org/mgoblin_media/media_entries/152/surveillance-and-privacy-2015-john-sullivan.medium.webm">John Sullivan on Surveillance & Privacy</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/10/a-necessary-evil-what-it-takes-for-democracy-to-survive-surveillance/">"How Much Surveillance Can Democracy Withstand?"</a> by Richard Stallman</li> <li>Security expert Bruce Schneier on <a href="https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/06/government_secr.html">"Government secrets and the need for whistle-blowers"</a></li> <li><a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/multimedia/timeline-edward-snowden-revelations.html">Interactive timeline</a> of information about government surveillance leaked by Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor</li> <li><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-nsa-uses-powerful-toolbox-in-effort-to-spy-on-global-networks-a-940969.html">TAO, the NSA's internal cracking unit</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/nsa-secret-toolbox-ant-unit-offers-spy-gadgets-for-every-need-a-941006.html">Tools used by the NSA for surveillance</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/27/gchq-nsa-webcam-images-internet-yahoo">British intelligence agency spies on Yahoo Web cam images</a></li> <li><a href="http://singularityhub.com/2014/04/27/the-fbi-has-a-massive-facial-recognition-database-but-is-it-ready-for-primetime/">The FBI's unfinished mass facial recognition system produces many false positives</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34444233">Edward Snowden interview: 'Smartphones can be taken over'</a></li> </ul> <h2>Related work by the FSF</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/news/reform-corporate-surveillance">Reform Corporate Surveillance</a>: While major technology companies voice their support for legislative changes they think will address the problem, they continue to drive technology which is on face damaging to everyone's privacy, freedom, and security.</li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-responds-to-microsofts-privacy-and-encryption-announcement">FSF's response to Microsoft's privacy and encryption announcement</a>: If the NSA revelations have taught us anything, it is that journalists, governments, schools, advocacy organizations, companies, and individuals, must be using operating systems whose code can be reviewed and modified without Microsoft or any other third party's blessing.</li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/take-action-protect-end-to-end-encryption">FSF's call to action to protect free software that respects our privacy</a> against legislative attempts to install a backdoor</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="viewlet-below-content-body"><div class="visualClear"></div> <div class="documentActions"> <h5 class="hiddenStructure">Document Actions</h5> <ul> <li><b><a href="/share?u=https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/surveillance&t=Protect your freedom and privacy; join us in creating an Internet that's safer from surveillance ">Share on social networks</a></b></li> <li>Syndicate:</li> <li><a href="/static/fsforg/rss/news.xml">News</a></li> <li><a href="/static/fsforg/rss/events.xml">Events</a></li> <li><a href="/static/fsforg/rss/blogs.xml">Blogs</a></li> <li><a href="/static/fsforg/rss/jobs.xml">Jobs</a></li> <li id="document-action-copy_of_full_screen"> <a href="http://www.gnu.org/rss/whatsnew.rss" title="">GNU</a> </li> <li id="document-action-print"> <a href="" title=""></a> </li> </ul> </div></div> </div> </article> </div> <div id="viewlet-below-content"> </div> </div> </div></div></div> <div id="fsf-sidebar" class="yui-b visualNoPrint"> <aside> <span style="display: none;">1PC9aZC4hNX2rmmrt7uHTfYAS3hRbph4UN</span> <div id="search"> <form id="sidesearch" name="searchform" action="/search"> <p><input name="SearchableText" tabindex="1" type="text" size="30" title="Search Site" /></p> <p><input class="searchButton" type="submit" value="Search" /></p> </form> </div> <div class="visualPadding"> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673662f63616d706169676e730a74616b652d616374696f6e" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673662f63616d706169676e730a74616b652d616374696f6e"> <dl class="portlet portletStaticText portlet-static-participate-in-librelocal-month"> <dt class="portletHeader"> <span class="portletTopLeft"></span> <span> Participate in #LibreLocal month! </span> <span class="portletTopRight"></span> </dt> <dd class="portletItem odd"> <div style="width:220px; margin: 0px auto; text-align:center; color: black;"><a href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Meetup-guide"> <img src="https://static.fsf.org/nosvn/fsf40/community-meetups.png" alt="A free software community meetup in Boston in 2023" style="float: center; width: 180px; padding-bottom: 15px;" /></a> <p>No matter your experience with planning events, you can organize a<a href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Meetup-guide"> free software community meetup</a> in your area. </p> <span class="portletBottomLeft"></span> <span class="portletBottomRight"></span> </dd> </dl> </div> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673662f63616d706169676e730a667265652d736f6674776172652d63616d706169676e73" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673662f63616d706169676e730a667265652d736f6674776172652d63616d706169676e73"> <dl class="portlet portletStaticText portlet-static-free-software-campaigns"> <dt class="portletHeader"> <span class="portletTopLeft"></span> <span> Free software campaigns </span> <span class="portletTopRight"></span> </dt> <dd class="portletItem odd"> <ul> <li><a href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Freedom_Ladder">Freedom Ladder</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/fight-to-repair">Fight to Repair</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/freejs/">Free JavaScript</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/priority-projects/">High Priority Free Software Projects</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/">Secure Boot vs Restricted Boot</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/surveillance/">Surveillance</a></li> <li><a href="/windows/">Upgrade from Windows</a></li> <li><a href="/working-together">Working Together for Free Software</a></li> <li><a href="//defectivebydesign.org/">Defective by Design</a></li> <li><a href="http://endsoftpatents.org/">End Software Patents</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/opendocument/">OpenDocument</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/free-bios.html">Free BIOS</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/past-campaigns">Past campaigns</a></li> </ul> <span class="portletBottomLeft"></span> <span class="portletBottomRight"></span> </dd> </dl> </div> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a737570706f72746572" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a737570706f72746572"><div class="portletStaticText portlet-static-supporter"><div style="text-align: center;"> <h5>Sign up</h5> <form action="https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/profile/create?reset=1&gid=31" method="post"> <p>Enter your email address to receive our monthly newsletter, the<br /><a href="https://www.fsf.org/free-software-supporter/">Free Software Supporter</a></p> <p><input id="frmEmail" type="text" name="email-Primary" size="18" maxlength="80"></p> <p><input type="submit" name="_qf_Edit_next" value="Subscribe me"></p> <div><input name="postURL" type="hidden" value=""> <input type="hidden" name="group[25]" value="1"> <input name="cancelURL" type="hidden" value="https://my.fsf.org/civicrm/profile?reset=1&gid=31"> <input name="_qf_default" type="hidden" value="Edit:cancel"> </div> </form></div></div> </div> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6673662d6e6577732d727373" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6673662d6e6577732d727373"><div class="portletStaticText portlet-static-fsf-news-rss"><p style="float: right;"><a href="/static/fsforg/rss/news.xml" title="Subscribe to an RSS feed of FSF news"><img src="/static/fsforg/css/img/rss.gif" alt="RSS feed" /></a></p></div> </div> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6e657773" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6e657773"><dl class="portlet portletNews" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <dt class="portletHeader"> <span class="portletTopLeft"></span> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/news" class="tile">News</a> <span class="portletTopRight"></span> </dt> <dd class="portletItem odd"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-40-auction" class="tile" title="BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA (February 4, 2025) -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) turns forty this year. "> <img width="16" height="16" src="https://www.fsf.org/static/fsforg/css/img/newsitem_icon.gif" alt="News Item" /> Free Software Foundation to auction off original GNU drawings, awards, and historic tech <span class="portletItemDetails">Feb 04, 2025</span> </a> </dd> <dd class="portletItem even"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/news/anchoring-the-fsf-in-its-values" class="tile" title=""> <img width="16" height="16" src="https://www.fsf.org/static/fsforg/css/img/newsitem_icon.gif" alt="News Item" /> Anchoring the FSF in its values <span class="portletItemDetails">Jan 10, 2025</span> </a> </dd> <dd class="portletItem odd"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-is-working-on-freedom-in-machine-learning-applications" class="tile" title="BOSTON (October 22, 2024) -- The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has announced today that it is working on a statement of criteria for free machine learning applications, which will require the software, as well as the raw training data and associated scripts, to grant users the four freedoms."> <img width="16" height="16" src="https://www.fsf.org/static/fsforg/css/img/newsitem_icon.gif" alt="News Item" /> FSF is working on freedom in machine learning applications <span class="portletItemDetails">Oct 22, 2024</span> </a> </dd> <dd class="portletFooter"> <span class="portletBottomLeft"></span> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/news"> More news… </a> <span class="portletBottomRight"></span> </dd> </dl></div> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6673662d626c6f67732d727373" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6673662d626c6f67732d727373"><div class="portletStaticText portlet-static-fsf-blogs-rss"><p style="float: right;"><a href="/static/fsforg/rss/blogs.xml" title="Subscribe to an RSS feed of FSF blogs"><img src="/static/fsforg/css/img/rss.gif" alt="RSS feed" /></a></p></div> </div> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a726563656e742d626c6f6773" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a726563656e742d626c6f6773"><dl class="portlet portletCollection portlet-collection-recent-blogs"> <dt class="portletHeader"> <span class="portletTopLeft"></span> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/recent-blog-posts"> <span>Recent blogs</span> </a> <span class="portletTopRight"></span> </dt> <dd class="portletItem odd"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/fsf-at-fosdem-2025" class="tile contenttype-blog-entry" title="Four FSF staff members had a great time sharing their knowledge and learning at FOSDEM 2025 in Brussels. "> FSF talked about education, copyright management, and free machine learning at FOSDEM 2025 </a> </dd> <dd class="portletItem even"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/i-love-free-software-2025" class="tile contenttype-blog-entry" title="Let's celebrate the people behind free software and tell them how much we appreciate their work! "> I ♥ Free Software Day 2025: Let's celebrate the people who make and maintain free software </a> </dd> <dd class="portletItem odd"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/the-right-to-repair-supports-software-freedom" class="tile contenttype-blog-entry" title="The right to repair is one of four pillars supporting software freedom "> The right to repair supports more than just sustainability and affordability </a> </dd> <dd class="portletItem even"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/2025-awards-nominations-open" class="tile contenttype-blog-entry" title="The time has come for free software community members to nominate individuals and projects for a Free Software Award."> Free Software Awards: Choose your nominations by March 5 </a> </dd> <dd class="portletFooter"> <span class="portletBottomLeft"></span> <span> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/recent-blog-posts"> <span class="hiddenStructure">Recent blogs - </span> <span>More…</span> </a> </span> <span class="portletBottomRight"></span> </dd> </dl> </div> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6673662d6576656e74732d727373" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6673662d6576656e74732d727373"><div class="portletStaticText portlet-static-fsf-events-rss"><p style="float: right;"><a href="/static/fsforg/rss/events.xml" title="Subscribe to an RSS feed of FSF events"><img src="/static/fsforg/css/img/rss.gif" alt="RSS feed" /></a></p></div> </div> <div class="portletWrapper" data-portlethash="706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6576656e7473" id="portletwrapper-706c6f6e652e7269676874636f6c756d6e0a636f6e746578740a2f6673660a6576656e7473"> <dl class="portlet portletEvents"> <dt class="portletHeader"> <span class="portletTopLeft"></span> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/events" class="tile"> Upcoming Events </a> <span class="portletTopRight"></span> </dt> <dd class="portletItem odd"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/events/fsd-2025-02-21-irc" class="tile" title="Join the FSF and friends on Friday, February 21 from 12:00 to 15:00 EST (17:00 to 20:00 UTC) to help improve the Free Software Directory. "> <img width="16" height="16" src="https://www.fsf.org/static/fsforg/css/img/newsitem_icon.gif" alt="Event C source code" /> Free Software Directory meeting on IRC: Friday, February 21, starting at 12:00 EST (17:00 UTC) </a> <span class="portletItemDetails"> <span>Feb 21, 2025 12:00 PM - 03:00 PM</span> <span> — #fsf on libera.chat </span> </span> </dd> <dd class="portletItem even"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/events/memorabilia-auction-2025-03-23" class="tile" title="The Free Software Foundation will auction off original GNU drawings, awards, and historic tech in an unprecedented virtual memorabilia auction on March 23, 2025, 14:00 to 17:00 EDT."> <img width="16" height="16" src="https://www.fsf.org/static/fsforg/css/img/newsitem_icon.gif" alt="Event" /> Live virtual memorabilia auction on March 23, 2025 </a> <span class="portletItemDetails"> <span>Mar 23, 2025 02:00 PM - 05:00 PM</span> <span> — online </span> </span> </dd> <dd class="portletFooter"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/events/aggregator/previous" class="tile"> <span> Previous events… </span> </a> </dd> <dd class="portletFooter"> <a href="https://www.fsf.org/events" class="tile"> Upcoming events… </a> <span class="portletBottomLeft"></span> <span class="portletBottomRight"></span> </dd> </dl> </div>   </div> </aside> </div> </div></div> <div class="visualNoPrint" id="mission-statement"> <p class="c">The FSF is a charity with a worldwide mission to advance software freedom — <a href="/about/">learn about our history and work.</a></p> </div> <div id="ft" class="visualNoPrint"> <footer> <div id="ft-inner" class="custom-doc"> <div id="copyright"> <p class="c">Copyright © 2004-2025 <a href="/about/contact.html" title="Find out how to contact us">Free Software Foundation</a>, Inc. <a href="//my.fsf.org/donate/privacypolicy.html">Privacy Policy</a>.</p> <p>This work is licensed under a <a href="//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 license (or later version)</a> — <a href="//www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#OpinionLicenses">Why this license?</a></p> </div> <div id="fsf-links-outer"> <div class="yui-g visualNoPrint noMobile" id="fsf-links"> <div> <nav> <div class="yui3-g-r"> <div class="yui3-u-1-2 yui3-g-r first"> <div class="yui3-u-1-2 first" id="sitemap-1"> <p class="netscape4"><a href="#ft">Skip sitemap</a> or <a href="#sitemap-2">skip to licensing items</a></p> <ul> <li><a href="/about/">About</a> <ul> <li><a href="/about/staff-and-board">Staff and Board</a></li> <li><a href="/about/contact.html">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="/press">Press Information</a></li> <li><a href="/resources/jobs">Jobs</a></li> <li><a href="/volunteer">Volunteering and Internships</a></li> <li><a href="/history">History</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="//my.fsf.org/donate/privacypolicy.html">Privacy Policy</a></li> <li><a href="//weblabels.fsf.org/www.fsf.org/CURRENT/" rel="jslicense">JavaScript Licenses</a></li> <li><a href="/resources/hw">Hardware Database</a></li> <li><a href="//directory.fsf.org">Free Software Directory</a></li> <li><a href="/resources/">Free Software Resources</a></li> <li><a href="/about/dmca-notice">Copyright Infringement Notification</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="yui3-u-1-2 first" id="sitemap-2"> <p class="netscape4"><a href="#sitemap-3">Skip to general items</a></p> <ul> <li><a href="/campaigns">Campaigns</a> <ul> <li><a href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Freedom_Ladder">Freedom Ladder</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/fight-to-repair">Fight to Repair</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/freejs/">Free JavaScript</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/priority-projects/">High Priority Free Software Projects</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/">Secure Boot vs Restricted Boot</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/surveillance/">Surveillance</a></li> <li><a href="/windows/">Upgrade from Windows</a></li> <li><a href="/working-together">Working Together for Free Software</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/">GNU Operating System</a></li> <li><a href="//defectivebydesign.org/">Defective by Design</a></li> <li><a href="http://endsoftpatents.org/">End Software Patents</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/opendocument/">OpenDocument</a></li> <li><a href="/campaigns/free-bios.html">Free BIOS</a></li> <li><a href="https://libreplanet.org/">Connect with free software users</a></li> </ul></li></ul> </div> </div> <div class="yui3-u-1-2 yui3-g-r first"> <div class="yui3-u-1-2 first" id="sitemap-3"> <p class="netscape4"><a href="#sitemap-4">Skip to philosophical items</a></p> <ul> <li><a href="/licensing">Licensing</a> <ul> <li><a href="/licensing/education">Education</a></li> <li><a href="/licensing/licenses">Licenses</a> <ul> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html">GNU GPL</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html">GNU AGPL</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html">GNU LGPL</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl.html">GNU FDL</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html">Licensing FAQ</a></li> <li><a href="/licensing/compliance">Compliance</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-howto.html">How to use GNU licenses<br>for your own software</a></li></ul></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/news/">Latest News</a><ul> <li><a href="/events/">Upcoming Events</a></li> <li><a href="/blogs/">FSF Blogs</a></li></ul></li> </ul> </div> <div class="yui3-u-1-2 first" id="sitemap-4"> <p class="netscape4"><a href="#ft">Skip list</a></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/about/ways-to-donate">Donate to the FSF</a></li> <li><a href="/jfb">Join the FSF</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/patrons">Patrons</a></li> <li><a href="/associate/">Associate Members</a></li> <li><a href="/associate/account/">My Account</a></li> <li><a href="/working-together/fund">Working Together for Free Software Fund</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/philosophy/">Philosophy</a><ul> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html">The Free Software Definition</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/philosophy/pragmatic.html">Copyleft: Pragmatic Idealism</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-doc.html">Free Software and Free Manuals</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html">Selling Free Software</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/philosophy/fs-motives.html">Motives for Writing Free Software</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html">The Right To Read</a></li> <li><a href="//www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">Why Open Source Misses the Point of Free Software</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/sitemap">Complete Sitemap</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> <div class="c visualNoPrint noMobile" id="powered-by"> <h5 class="netscape4">fsf.org is powered by:</h5> <ul> <li id="powered-by-plone"><a href="//plone.org" title="Plone Powered">Plone</a></li> <li id="powered-by-zope"><a href="//zope.org" title="Powered by Zope">Zope</a></li> <li id="powered-by-python"><a href="//python.org" title="Powered by Python">Python</a></li> <li id="powered-by-civicrm"><a href="//civicrm.org" title="Powered by CiviCRM">CiviCRM</a></li> <li id="powered-by-html5"><a href="//www.w3.org/html">HTML5</a></li> </ul> </div> <form class="c" action="./" method="get" id="choose-language"> <p><select name="set_language"> <option value="ar">Arabic</option> <option value="be">Belarussian</option> <option value="bg">Bulgarian</option> <option value="ca">Catalan</option> <option value="zh">Chinese</option> <option value="kw">Cornish</option> <option value="cs">Czech</option> <option value="da">Danish</option> <option value="en" selected="selected">English</option> <option value="fr">French</option> <option value="de">German</option> <option value="el">Greek</option> <option value="he">Hebrew</option> <option value="hi">Hindi</option> <option value="it">Italian</option> <option value="ja">Japanese</option> <option value="ko">Korean</option> <option value="no">Norwegian</option> <option value="pl">Polish</option> <option value="pt">Portuguese</option> <option value="pt-br">Portuguese (Brazil)</option> <option value="ro">Romanian</option> <option value="ru">Russian</option> <option value="sk">Slovak</option> <option value="es">Spanish</option> <option value="sv">Swedish</option> <option value="tr">Turkish</option> <option value="ur">Urdu</option> <option value="cy">Welsh</option> </select>   <input type="submit" value="Select language"></p> <p><small>Send your feedback on our translations and new translations of pages to <a href="mailto:campaigns@fsf.org">campaigns@fsf.org</a>.</small></p> </form> </div>  <script type="text/javascript"> // @license magnet:?xt=urn:btih:1f739d935676111cfff4b4693e3816e664797050&dn=gpl-3.0.txt GPL-3.0-or-later var _paq = window._paq = window._paq || []; /* tracker methods like "setCustomDimension" should be called before "trackPageView" */ _paq.push(['trackPageView']); _paq.push(['enableLinkTracking']); (function() { var u="https://piwik.fsf.org/"; _paq.push(['setTrackerUrl', u+'matomo.php']); _paq.push(['setSiteId', '5']); var d=document, g=d.createElement('script'), s=d.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; g.type='text/javascript'; g.async=true; g.src=u+'matomo.js'; s.parentNode.insertBefore(g,s); })(); // @license-end </script>  </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Protect your freedom and privacy; join us in creating an Internet that's safer from surveillance — Free Software Foundation — Working together for free software