US FTC Requests Feedback on Cloud Computing FSF calls for privateness and independence

It’s the US Federal Commerce Fee. Asking for public opinion on the enterprise practices of cloud computing suppliers, making an attempt to know safety threats and aggressive dynamics. (Questions: “To what extent are sure segments of the economic system depending on a small handful of cloud service suppliers? And what are the knowledge safety implications of this dependence?”) Already acquired dozens of feedback (together with one) From the purple hat).

However there are three questions on open supply software program:

“To what extent do cloud suppliers supply merchandise primarily based on open supply software program?”

– “What’s the impact of such gives on competitors?”

– “How have modifications within the phrases of open supply licenses affected the flexibility of cloud suppliers to supply merchandise primarily based on open supply software program?”

This has Response from the Free Software program Basis. – and are urging others to hitch. “Since it is not each day that the FTC solicits public touch upon points that the free software program group is nicely conscious of, let’s take this chance to supply feedback in help of digital sovereignty.”
The hope is to persuade policymakers to make software program freedom and privateness central to any future developments in storage, computing and providers. Such feedback change into a part of the general public document, so any participation guarantees to have an enduring influence…

[W]We’ve got ready the next factors for consideration.

– So as to shield individuals’s fundamental civil rights, contemplating legal guidelines and laws in expertise, it is very important begin from the query “Does this choice improve or diminish digital sovereignty?”

– When it comes to computer systems, (e.g. phrase processing, spreadsheet and graphic design applications) typical choices scale back digital sovereignty. Calculations are being finished on one other pc below another person’s management., which is inaccessible to the top consumer, and due to this fact doesn’t have the required freedoms to share, enhance and research the calculations (ie this system). The one actual resolution to that is to submit. Free “Like Freedom” Changing these applications to present finish customers management over their computer systems.

– Within the case of storage, as we speak’s widespread choices scale back digital sovereignty as a result of many storage suppliers solely supply non-encrypted choices for storage. It is necessary that people and companies selecting third-party storage all the time have the choice to encrypt their storage, and that the encryption keys must be totally below the management of the top consumer, not the third-party supplier.

– Whereas the supply code that powers providers (akin to e-mail, teleconferencing, and video conferencing) doesn’t essentially should be made public, finish customers should have the ability to entry such providers by means of a free software program shopper. In such instances, it will be important for service suppliers to implement an interoperability design, in order that finish customers can use the service at any buyer’s alternative.

– Free software program permits finish customers to check the software program for safety flaws, whereas proprietary software program doesn’t. So free software program is the one actual choice for end-users to get assured safety…

Sadly, the FTC’s web site requires non-free JavaScript (reCAPTCHA, particularly) to touch upon a doc, and the FTC has rejected repeated requests for the way to submit feedback in paper type.

In case you’re not within the behavior of eradicating non-free JavaScript for the sake of your freedom, which we advocate, you may depart feedback on the FTC web site. When you’re at it, let [email protected] know concerning the unfairness of proprietary JavaScript and encourage them to respect the liberty of their customers.

The submission deadline is June twenty first, which is loads of time to publish one thing significant on the subject in favor of free software program.

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