Full speed into conference season with a heartfelt “Thank you”
Conference season is in full swing! In the last week we have been
navigating the challenge of our payment provider ending our contract,
attending events, and preparing for what’s ahead. Check out our first
interview on the 2026 ilovefs celebrations and our two latest podcast
episodes. Thank you to everyone who supported us during this time of
financial uncertainty!
Over the past weeks we have been very busy as our long-term payment provider,
Nexi, terminated our contract without prior
notice. As a result, more than 450 current FSFE supporters who rely
in their regular donation to the FSFE on automatic renewals via credit
card or direct debit have been affected. While we had already begun
preparing a transition to a new payment provider, existing supporter
accounts unfortunately cannot be migrated automatically.
Your response to our call for help has been truly incredible. We are
deeply grateful for our strong and supportive community: both for
sharing our message and for stepping in with financial support when it
was most needed. Thank you for helping us navigate this unexpected
financial challenge!
Interoperability, Policy and Local Groups
A few weeks ago, our team contributed to a consultation by the UK
Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on interoperability under the
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA). In our response,
we urged the CMA to reject Apple’s voluntary interoperability
commitments and instead impose binding, interoperability-by-design
obligations that protect software freedom, consumer choice, and fair
competition. You can read the full response here.
We also have two new episodes of our Software Freedom Podcast for
you: in
episode 49, we speak with a member of our local group in Zurich,
offering insights into their work, local engagement, and the importance
of community-driven initiatives in advancing Software Freedom.
In episode 48, we took a
closer look at the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), addressing open
questions and ongoing discussions, such as attestation and what these
regulatory changes could mean for Free Software.
Reviving I love FS celebration and at the booth around Europe
Not long ago, the Free Software community celebrated “I Love Free
Software Day” : a day when the FSFE, our volunteers, and many other
organisations and individuals come together to thank all contributors
for their dedication to using, studying, sharing, and improving Free
Software. We are starting to revisit that special occasion with an
interview featuring a volunteer from Poznań, who organized a local event
there, the most attended one in 2026!
Besides, over the past weeks, we have been actively
participating in events across Europe. At the Chemnitzer Linux-Tage 2026
in Chemnitz, Germany (one of the country’s largest and longest-running
conferences dedicated to Free Software), we had the opportunity to meet
community members, exchange ideas, and engage with a diverse audience
through workshops, talks, and discussions. Together with some of our
German volunteers, we were present with a booth and contributed a talk
sharing practical insights on Free Software licensing with
developers.
Also in Germany, we joined the 26th Gautinger Internet Meeting, where
we contributed to discussions on digital sovereignty. There we presented
our youth activities, including Youth Hacking for Freedom and the
well-known children’s book “Ada & Zangemann”, highlighting the
importance of empowering young people to keep their curiosity and to
understand and shape technology to achieve digital sovereignty.
And last but not least, we took part in the panel discussion “What
does Digital Sovereignty mean for Civil Society?”, organised by the ISOC
Switzerland Chapter in Zurich, Switzerland. The discussion highlighted
the crucial role that civil society plays in shaping a sovereign and
sustainable digital future.
Your support helps us move our work forward.
We may be behind the wheel, but you’re the ones keeping us moving
forward. You can also support us,
contribute
to our work, and join our
community. Are you using social media? If so, do not forget to
follow us there! You can also follow the FSFE news in your RSS Reader.
Your editor,
Ana
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