@CapitalB @bonifartius
It's both.

Consider that code = a language.
Language = code.
Only someone native to the language group can decode what is said, with the exception of people not native but who learn it.

Consider Protocols as a mix of language, and method of transport of information, like for example the international post office system.
You have country, country code, region, region code, city, street name, number etc...

All of this forms what basically are computers and that's why we need computing to be free/libre.

Otherwise it's similar as forbidding people to be able to learn teach or speak a language or send post mail as it's obfuscated and extreme complexity/size forbids you from doing so, that's the nature of proprietary software, it's a feudal system.