Notices by Free Software Foundation Europe (fsfe@mastodon.social)

#KeepAndroidOpen

The :fsfe: FSFE signed an open letter addressed to Sundar Pichai, CEO of #Google, regarding Google's announced policy requiring all #Android app developers to register centrally with Google to distribute applications outside the Google Play Store.

https://keepandroidopen.org/open-letter/

🫵 What you can do

- Read and share the open letter: https://keepandroidopen.org/open-letter/

- If you are part of an organisation, join the signatories from across civil society, #FreeSoftware communities, and industry.

- Please help so that Google also understands it is not in its interest to jeopardise its own success in mobile by making Android unfriendly to developers who care about #softwarefreedom

#KeepAndroidOpen

📢 What we ask from #Google:

- Rescind mandatory developer registration for all third‑party distribution.

- Engage in transparent dialogue with civil society, #FreeSoftware communities, and regulators on improving security without sacrificing openness.

- Commit to platform neutrality so that Google’s role as Android steward does not conflict with its commercial interests.

🧐 Google’s plan would mean that all personal data of #FreeSoftware app developers on Android would end up with #Google, even apps distributed outside the Play Store, by forcing developers to register and hand over ID.

❌️ It raises barriers for small and volunteer projects, like @fdroidorg, and increases the risk of surveillance, censorship, and arbitrary bans against privacy‑protecting and critical apps.

⚠️ 450 FSFE supporters affected: Payment provider Nexi cancelled us ⚠️

Our long-term payment provider, Nexi, has terminated our contract without prior notice.

As a result, our supporters’ recurring credit card and direct debit donations have been halted by them.

This affects more than 450 FSFE supporters, whom we have already informed by email.

Read more here: https://fsfe.org/news/2026/news-20260316-01.en.html

@mullana

...this is why ❤️

2/2

Why we celebrate #ILoveFS day? Have a look at our new comic by @mullana

https://ilovefs.org/comic

CC-BY-SA 4.0

1/2

Digital sovereignty requires #FreeSoftware.

What matters is not whether software is developed or sold by European vendors, but whether all users are allowed to use, study, share, and improve it. A stack is sovereign only if it is 100% #FreeSoftware, guaranteeing data sovereignty, the ability to adapt and switch providers, and full transparency.

Our feedback on the second #DeutschlandStack consultation:
https://gitlab.opencode.de/dstack/d-stack-home/-/issues/624 (German)

#DigitalSovereignty #PublicCode #OpenSource

The vacation period is a perfect opportunity to share FSFE’s movie “Ada & #Zangemann – A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry Ice Cream” with people around you, both in person and online. Help us reach as many viewers as possible, especially children !

🔹Danish https://media.fsfe.org/w/7S9bNkf36e7vBnBrBhj7vS
🔸English https://media.fsfe.org/w/j1c6LQVZ8qnCLLwpXMuw3M
🔹French https://media.fsfe.org/w/jPLeR3vpYE7zWaTYdsB9JU
🔸German https://media.fsfe.org/w/aw4EHJYVBSQGHPS22xXBG2
🔹Italian https://media.fsfe.org/w/truAn16kstE9qiv6sKJGDt
🔸Spanish https://media.fsfe.org/w/mPiL4nzoJ21gWiG4JHLATf

#HappyHolidyays! #FreeSoftware

December has arrived, and with it, our last newsletter of 2025 🚀

🔸 we took part in the consultation on the Germany Stack,
🔹 exchanged insights at the Article 19 2025 #DMA Enforcement Symposium,
🔸 and gave #REUSE a new home on @Codeberg

Meanwhile, registration for the next edition of #YH4F is opened and we have new #SoftwareFreedom podcast episodes to listen to. 🎧

https://fsfe.org/news/nl/nl-202512.en.html

#FreeSoftware

⚠️ The Free Software Foundation Europe deleted its account on X ⚠️

The platform never aligned with our values and no longer serves as a space for communication. What initially intended to be a place for dialogue and information exchange has turned into a centralised arena of hostility, misinformation, and profit-driven control, far removed from the ideals of freedom we stand for.

Find out more: https://fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20251204-01.en.html

#FreeSoftware #SoftwareFreedom

💻 Love computers? Don’t waste money on gadgets today. Support the individuals, companies, and organisations behind #FreeSoftware (#OpenSource) who are shaping how society uses technology in the long run. (E.g. to us: https://fsfe.org/donate

PS: We apologize if our graphics trigger nostalgia, mild trauma, or an uncontrollable urge to code. 😅

Digital sovereignty can only be achieved with Free Software! That’s why, in our feedback to the Germany Stack consultation, we call for the Stack to be implemented entirely as Free Software.

Read our news item:
https://fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20251124-01.html

Our feedback on openCode:
https://gitlab.opencode.de/dstack/d-stack-home/-/issues/347 (DE)

The Germany Stack consultation runs until 30 November 2025. Until then, everyone can submit feedback via openCode.

#FreeSoftware #PublicCode #DStack #OpenSource @BMDS

💥Code paid by the people should be available to the people! 💥

Why is software created using taxpayers’ money not released as #FreeSoftware under a #FOSS licence? If it is public money, it should be public code as well!

🖥️ https://publiccode.eu

https://media.fsfe.org/w/7cH6EATpmPwaMsEZN8vfyj

Our democratic public sphere needs open networks!

Together with @offene_netzwerke we demand that public money be invested into Free Software and in open, decentralised infrastructures.

Read our demands (en/de/fr), published this week:
https://offene-netzwerke.eu/forderungen/

#FreeSoftware #PublicCode #OpenSource #Fediverse #EUsummit25 @BMDS

I don’t want your OS, I want #FreeSoftware🐧

💻 Manufacturers and vendors must not force specific operating systems or bundle costs into every purchase.

https://en.refund4freedom.org/

#Refund4Freedom #SoftwareFreedom

Today the Support of Windows 10 is over

💡As an user, you should have the right to choose your operating system

🖥️ If you buy a computer with a pre-installed Windows license that you don’t want to use, you can request a refund💸.

“You should not have to pay for software you do not want. Manufacturers and vendors have no right to impose specific operating systems on users” @llas Refund4Freedom co-coordinator.

👉 https://fsfe.org/news/2021/news-20210302-01.en.html

How to request a refund 👉 https://en.refund4freedom.org/

Boa Tarde 🇵🇹

Since yesterday, we :fsfe: have been at the @FestaSoftwareLivre in Porto to spend the weekend with lots of stickers, postcards, posters and friends from all around the world!

If you are still around, pass by our booth and get some last stickers 👾

Thank you @ansol and everyone involved for organising this weekend of talks and #FreeSoftware celebrations!

Hey Google: don't be evil! 😈 We will keep protecting #softwarefreedom and #deviceneutrality for all users!

⚖️ New Legal Corner Article ⚖️

Bringing SumUp to compliance: a case study of license enforcement

What happens when those who benefit from the four freedoms fail to comply with the terms of a #FreeSoftware license?We take a look at the experience of license enforcement by one of our FSFE volunteers against the fintech company SumUp, and examine the lessons that supporters of Free Software can take away from it

https://fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250820-01.en.html