+February started with FOSDEM! It was great to meet some of you there +before we meet again for “I Love Free +Software Day”! In recent weeks, we shared our demands for +the coming German elections, great news about Router Freedom, and an +update about DMA. Moreover, the Ada movie is now available in French +and we published two podcast episodes. +
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+Table of contents
+++ + + +“Creating a community for Free Software and sharing our appreciation + for all Free Software contributors is a task that needs our commitment + throughout the year. And all this work can be highlighted on I Love Free + Software Day! It is amazing how many people come together and celebrate + their favourite type of software together <3”
+ Albert Astals Cid, co-organizer of 'I Love FS Day' Barcelona + since 2019 +
The next German government must finally push for the controllability, +security, and sovereignty of the public digital infrastructure. As Free +Software is a prerequisite for this, the FSFE is making 4 key +demands: +"Public Money? Public Code!", securing long-term funding for Free +Software, deepening Free Software knowledge in administrations, and +monitoring progress. +
+ +Ready for I Love Free Software Day 2025? We are celebrating this day, +to say thank you to Free Software projects, with different events across +Europe.
+ +Join us to celebrate this day in Villach in Carinthia (Austria); +Nuremberg, Berlin or Frankfurt (Germany); Bozen-Bolzano, Sicilia, Este +or Bergamo (Italy); Luxembourg; Nijmegen (Netherlands); Warsaw, Poznań +or Wrocław (Poland); Barcelona or +Madrid (Spain); Zurich (Switzerland); and +Staffordshire (United Kingdom). Find all the information about the +events on ilovefs.org.
+ +You can also get involved and celebrate this day by: crafting a +personalized thank you message using our redesigned template from the Sharepic Generator +or record a short thank +you message to your favourite Free Software project, and share it on +your social media channels using the hashtag #ilovefs; +send a +postcard to your favourite Free Software project; and share your knowledge about Free +Software. Let us spread the word about the four freedoms – come and join +us for this year’s I Love Free Software Day <3
+ +After a failed attempt by internet providers to exclude Router +Freedom from fiber networks, the German regulator BNetzA has +confirmed +Router Freedom in the country. The FSFE, which has been pushing for this +since 2013, will continue to monitor implementation and compliance.
+ +The Free Software Foundation Europe, alongside civil society +organizations, developers, and researchers, submitted its position to the +European Commission’s public consultation on measures requiring Apple to +ensure compliance with the Digital Markets Act’s interoperability +provisions. The FSFE stressed the urgent need for Apple to provide +effective, free-of-charge interoperability.
+ +Furthermore, on February 6, the FSFE participated in the "DMA and +Beyond Conference" organised by the Knight-Georgetown Institute and Yale +University in Washington, D.C. There, our volunteer Jithendra Palepu +presented a comprehensive study, elaborated upon by Lucas Lasota, FSFE's +Legal Programme Manager, on Apple's restrictive interoperability +policies and their harm to Free Software in the context of the DMA.
+ +Check out our participation here!
+ + +The Free Software Foundation Europe is releasing the animated film +‘Ada & Zangemann - A Tale of Software, Skateboards, and Raspberry +Ice Cream’ in French as an Open Educational Resource. Originally a +highly successful illustrated book, now available in 10 languages and +counting, the story has been adapted into a film that can be freely used +in schools.
+ +Last week six Dutch + civic organisations launched the campaign ‘Make Socials Social Again’. + They call upon public organisations to adopt social media platforms + that respect public values and thus are the real ‘social’ platforms. The FSFE joins this campaign + to encourage a public debate on this. As stressed in the FediGov + campaign by the Swiss FSFE local team. It is important that platforms + used by public bodies enable independent and self-determined use of + technology. +
+ +In our lastest Software Freedom Podcast, Marta Andreoli, FSFE's Italian +deputy coordinator, talks to Paolo Dongilli, technical inspector of the +Autonomous Province of Bozen-Bolzano - South Tyrol, about the FUSS +project. +Together they unravel how FUSS is helping the schools in South Tyrol +take a step towards software freedom.
+ +Also, we continued our series of episodes about Policy and the EU. +Last month, we talked about the two DevRooms that the FSFE organized at +FOSDEM 25.
+ +We would love to hear from you. If you have any thoughts, pictures, +or news to share, please send them to us at newsletter@fsfe.org. You can +also support us, contribute to our +work, and join our +community. We would like to thank our community and all the +volunteers, supporters, and donors who make our work possible, with a +special mention to our translators who make it possible for you to read +this newsletter in your mother tongue.
+Your editor,
+Ana