278 lines
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HTML
278 lines
12 KiB
HTML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
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<html newsdate="2021-09-13" type="newsletter">
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<version>1</version>
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<head>
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<title>Demand for transparent CovPass apps in EU +++ Dutch gain Router Freedom</title>
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</head>
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<body microformats="h-entry">
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<h1 id="demand-for-transparent-covpass-apps-in-eu-dutch-gain-router-freedom-70-80-">Demand for transparent CovPass apps in EU +++ Dutch gain Router Freedom</h1>
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<p>
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In our August-September Newsletter, we celebrate the
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right of using a custom router in the Netherlands. We explain why
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every app that tackles the spread of Covid-19 has to be Free
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Software. We share the news of our vibrant community, following
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up what happened in the summertime and what lies ahead of us.
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</p>
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<h2 id="covpass-apps-should-be-available-to-all-thus-they-should-be-free-software">CovPass apps should be available to all; thus, they should be Free Software</h2>
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<p>
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Apps that are necessary for everyone should be available to
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everyone, without having to install additional and proprietary
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software stores. This was not the case with the German CovPass
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app, which provides the EU digital COVID certificate for Corona
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vaccination on smartphones. It was only available on Apple,
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Huawai and Google app stores due to proprietary dependencies.
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Such a practice neglects those who consciously avoid proprietary
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software and choose to use Free Software. For them, the app was
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unavailable.
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</p>
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<figure>
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<img src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/big/5addbc152e4501f8867424798cc918ad.jpg"/>
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</figure>
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<p>
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Experts saved the day, and therefore we would like to thank <a
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href="https://gitlab.com/jugendhacker">@jugendhacker</a>, <a
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href="https://gitlab.com/mythsunwind">@mythsunwind</a>, <a
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href="https://gitlab.com/rugk">@rugk</a>, <a
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href="https://gitlab.com/tzugen">@tzugen</a>, Felix C. Stegerman,
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and Marcus Hoffmann. Together, they worked selflessly for weeks
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and developed the CovPass app for F-droid. The experts also
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removed proprietary Google libraries which were not necessary for
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the app to function.
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</p>
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<p>
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This additional work would not have been necessary if the CovPass
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developers – who are paid with public funds – had not included
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these unnecessary proprietary libraries from the beginning.
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Furthermore, the company developing CovPass was unsupportive
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towards external developers, which increased the difficulty for
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the volunteers to contribute improvements. Because of this,
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improvements which would have required little effort by the
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original developers turned out to be a difficult task for
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third-party experts. It is a typical problem that can be avoided
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by releasing as Free Software any software whose development is
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publicly funded.
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</p>
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<p>
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The same process happened last year with the German Covid-tracing app:
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experts voluntarily <a
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href="/news/2020/news-20201208-01.html">took over</a>
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governments' and administrations' tasks to make this
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app available to everyone. In the case of Covid-related apps, <a
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href="/news/2021/news-20210830-01.html">public bodies have
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failed</a> in Germany. "We urge the government to quickly
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adapt its practices and make sure everyone can use such apps
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without any restrictions from the start" says Matthias
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Kirschner, President of the FSFE. The silver lining in contrast
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is the example of Switzerland, where the official Covid
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certificate app was added to F-droid by the Federal Office of
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Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT).
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</p>
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<h2 id="advocating-pays-off-dutch-internet-users-gain-router-freedom">Advocating pays off: Dutch Internet users gain Router Freedom</h2>
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<p>
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Router Freedom is now a reality in the Netherlands. All Internet
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Service Providers (ISPs) must <a
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href="/news/2021/news-20210805-01.html">allow end-users</a> to
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choose and use their own routers and modems within 6 months.
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Also, it was secured that consumers who set up an alternative
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router should still enjoy technical support by the ISPs. The
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Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets' (ACM) decision
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represents a victory for consumers in the Netherlands and a win
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for net neutrality in Europe.
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</p>
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<figure>
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<img src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/medium/b04f1fbb9f8803fa63fe2e839104c4ad.jpg"/>
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</figure>
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<p>
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The new rules passed after a persistent effort of the FSFE to
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draw attention to the importance of Router Freedom. The FSFE
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contacted BEREC raising the Router Freedom demand for the first
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time three years ago, in 2018, resulting in establishing Router
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Freedom as a standard for European countries. In 2019,
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the FSFE contacted the Dutch national agency too, to enquire
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about the situation in the country. Since then, the <a
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href="https://wiki.fsfe.org/LocalGroups/BNL">FSFE's Country
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Team Netherlands</a> pushed the issue through by organising
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seminars, talking to stakeholders, going to events, raising the
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issue on social media, and helping with the elaboration of
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technical and legal documents.
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</p>
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<p>
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Now, it is the time to celebrate. ACM's decision is a major win for all end-users in the Netherlands!
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</p>
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<p>
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Do you want to learn more about the status
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of Router Freedom in your country? Check our <a
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href="https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/router-freedom-tracker_581123#4/53.12/18.37">monitoring
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map!</a> You can contribute with our work by taking part in our
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<a
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href="https://survey.fsfe.org/index.php/628449?lang=en">end-user
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survey</a> to help monitoring Router Freedom in your country.
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</p>
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<h2 id="upcoming-events-">Upcoming events:</h2>
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<p>
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On Wednesday 15 September at 20:00 CEST, the <a
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href="https://wiki.fsfe.org/LocalGroups/BNL">Dutch FSFE team</a>
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will have its monthly meeting. The Dutch team always welcomes new
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members. If you would like to take part in the meeting, please
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contact the FSFE Coordinator of the Netherlands, Nico Rikken.
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</p>
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<p>
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In September's monthly meeting, the <a
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href="https://wiki.fsfe.org/Teams/Women">FSFE Women group</a>
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will discuss gender aspects of learning programming. Research
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papers will be briefly presented and discussed. We welcome new
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members who identify as females. The date is still to be arranged,
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so if you are interested in Free Software join our <a
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href="https://lists.fsfe.org/mailman/listinfo/fsfe-women">mailing
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list</a> and get to know us.
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</p>
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<h2 id="what-we-have-done-">What we have done:</h2>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>
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On July 30th, Max Mehl, Programme Manager of the FSFE, <a
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href="https://www.thelocal.de/20210730/germany-knew-its-disaster-warning-system-wasnt-good-enough-why-wasnt-it-improved-2/">gave
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an interview</a> in thelocal.de about the disaster warning
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system of Germany. The topic came to the spotlight after the
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floods in Germany, but the weaknesses of the warning system
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were a known issue already. Max argues in favour of
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warnings sent through cell broadcast instead of apps,
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because they can reach everyone with a phone and target
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specific locations. There is also a publicly accessible <a
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href="https://www.newsday24.com/norway/germany-knew-its-disaster-warning-system-wasnt-good-enough-why-wasnt-it-improved/">reprint</a>
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available.
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</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>
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On August 17th, the <a
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href="https://wiki.fsfe.org/Teams/Women">FSFE Women group</a>
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met and Loria presented how maps are created in a 2D
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workadventu.re world.
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</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>
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On August 18th, the FSFE Dutch team met to <a
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href="https://wiki.fsfe.org/Events/Netherlands/2021-08-18">discuss</a>
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the end of SMS authentication for DigiD, the efforts to
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introduce Free Software in schools, and other technological
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developments.
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</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>
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On August 22nd at <a
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href="https://programm.froscon.de/2021/events/2652.html">FrOsCon</a>,
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Alexander Sander, FSFE's Policy
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Consultant, presented the latest developments in the
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digitization of administrations and ventured an outlook for
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the time after the federal elections in Germany.
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</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<figure>
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<img src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/big/97a8b98392a834be97ada441bad53b9b.png"/>
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<figcaption>FSFE information stall on Veganmania, Vienna 2021</figcaption>
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</figure>
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<ul>
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<li>
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During the last weekend of August, the FSFE Austria participated
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in the annual Veganmania summer festival. Next to live music,
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street food, and DIY workshops, the Viennese FSFE volunteers team
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organised a <a
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href="https://www.veganmania.at/2021/insel.htm">booth</a> to
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explain the basics of Free Software to visitors. The Veganmania
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festival is visited by thousands of visitors with diverse
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backgrounds. The supporters noticed an increase in how many
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people were technically conscious compared to the previous
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years. Also, newcomers in the field of Free Software were
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interested to read our guides with technical tips to increase
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their computer security. Instructions on basic utilities such as
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email encryption and password managers gained a lot of attention.
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If you are interested to learn more, you can read the <a
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href="https://blogs.fsfe.org/franz.gratzer/2021/08/31/fsfe-information-stall-on-veganmania-2021/">report</a>
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from the FSFE supporters group in Vienna.
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</li>
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</ul>
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<h2 id="get-active-for-the-federal-election-in-germany">Get active for the Federal election in Germany</h2>
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<p>
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On 26 September, a new Bundestag will be elected in Germany. We
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are engaged around the election and want to ensure with our
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activities that "Public Money? Public Code!" plays an
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important role for the next government. Therefore we want to make
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sure that our "Public Money? Public Code!" demands will
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be included in the coalition agreement of Germany's next
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government. To achieve this we need your help and support. You
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can learn how you can help us in the dedicated <a
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href="https://wiki.fsfe.org/Activities/Bundestagswahl_DE">activity
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package</a> [DE].
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</p>
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<h2 id="contribute-to-our-newsletter">Contribute to our newsletter</h2>
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<p>
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If you would like to share any thoughts, pictures, or news, please
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send them to us. As always, the address is <email>newsletter@fsfe.org</email>.
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We're looking forward to hearing from you! If you also want to
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support us and our work, join our community and support us with a
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donation or a <a href="https://my.fsfe.org/donate?referrer=newsletter">monthly
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contribution</a>. Thanks to our community and all the volunteers,
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supporters, and donors who make our work possible. And thanks to
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our translators, who enable you to read this newsletter in your
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native languages.
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</p>
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<p>Your editor, Fani Partsafyllidou</p>
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<hr/>
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<p>
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The biggest financial impact the FSFE faces in these times of
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physical distancing is the cancellation of Free Software
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conferences, including our own events. To keep the software freedom
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movement solid and alive, please consider <a href="https://my.fsfe.org/donate?referrer=newsletter">donating a
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part of your conference budget to Free Software organisations,
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including the FSFE</a>.
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</p>
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<hr/>
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</body>
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<sidebar promo="about-fsfe" />
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<date>
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<original content="2021-09-09" />
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</date>
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<followup>donate</followup>
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<tags>
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<tag key="front-page"/>
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<tag key="newsletter">Newsletter</tag>
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</tags>
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<discussion href="https://community.fsfe.org/t/733"/>
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<image url="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/big/97a8b98392a834be97ada441bad53b9b.png"/>
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</html>
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