Hans-Christoph Steiner @eighthave@librem.one

We’re sponsoring the EU Open Source Policy Summit 2026 (Brussels, 30 Jan), hosted by @OpenForumEurope.

The theme is “Digital Sovereignty Runs on Open Source."

@Amandine will be talking about the importance of interoperability and open standards.

https://summit.openforumeurope.org/

If, like me, you absolutely hate the recently introduced sidebar-like overlay "side-panel" that opens up when you click tickets in #GitLab, I finally found the obscure place where you can turn it off.

It's not in your user preferences or kebab menu, it's… tucked in that little "Display options" icon-only button between the tickets searchbar and the sorting order combobox:

Great #DSA report by @bitsoffreedom about how #Snapchat manipulates its users through notifications:

"From 109 notifications we categorized 39 as misleading." They contained "false information (e.g., “check out this post from someone you follow”—even though we weren't following anyone), resembled a personal message from other users, or were incorrectly labeled as being “time-sensitive”."

https://www.bitsoffreedom.nl/2025/12/05/how-snapchat-manipulates-its-users-through-notifications/

#DigitalRights #DarkPatterns #DigitalServicesAct #BigTech #InterfaceDesign

Oh yes, and then there is this! 😄

"Leading facial #AgeEstimation tools were easily fooled by a $22 "old man" mask, a Guy Fawkes mask, and other cheap party costumes, researchers have found."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-02/social-media-ban-vpns-masks-age-checks-disguises/105836134

#AgeVerification #DigitalRights #privacy #Australia #SocialMediaBan

Elon Musk and X are once again proving why institutions should never rely on corporate-owned, centrally-controlled social media platforms to reach their people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0589g0dqq7o

Phreeli founder Nick Merrill “is somebody who is extremely principled and willing to take a stand for his principles,” EFF’s Cindy Cohn told @WIRED “He's careful and thoughtful, but also, at a certain level, kind of fearless.” https://www.wired.com/story/new-anonymous-phone-carrier-sign-up-with-nothing-but-a-zip-code/

"The Dutch government has quietly removed #Google #tracking tools from job listings for its intelligence services over concerns that the data would expose aspirant spies to U.S. #surveillance," according to POLITICO.

"The intervention would put an end to Google’s processing of the data of job seekers interested in applying to #spy service jobs, after members of parliament in The Hague raised security concerns." 💥

5 visitors of my 6th Exhibition already use F-Droid. After all, 15 visitors have noticed that there is also F-Droid. And 100 visitors didn't know it at all.

(There have been 120 visitors so far)

25 days until the end of the #exhibition in #radebeul

#fdroid

15 years fly by like last week, when you're the package manager for #Android, but you feel the technical debt more and more.

What to do? Rip it out and start over? Improve bit by bit? RiiR?

Find out how #FDroid prepares for the next 15 here: https://f-droid.org/2025/11/24/an-experiment-in-automated-building-from-source-15-years-later.html

Dr Lagodinsky went on a valid rant about Parliament needing better information on funding plans.

~“Where is the strategic thinking in having AI gigafactories? Why are we pumping billions into gigafactories when even potential investors can’t identify a business case. We have a lot of GPUs using resources, but doing what?”

He’s right. The EU basically wrote a €30M check to Nvidia instead of addressing more fundamental problem of no EU-made AI hardware.

Context: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_467?ref=activitypub

#DCPS25

Benjamin Bögel (Cabinet of EVP Henna Virkkunen at European Commission): ~“We can be sovereign and open at the same time. It doesn’t force us to shut off our market. We can continue to collaborate at international level.”

#DCPS25

Fabrizia Benini closed with the most powerful call for engagement from FOSS developers I have ever heard from the Commission.

~“Your input is crucial. Help identify which digital commons are most strategic for open Internet stack. Share experiences with sustainable governance models that have a chance of making it in the European market. We can align policy and funding. We can turn this strength into a competitive advantage. I count on your ideas and frank feedback today and tomorrow.”

#DCPS25

Benjamin Bögel attended FOSDEM. He recognized how much FOSS is created by individuals and how many libraries don’t have a distinct business case, but still are extremely valuable building blocks. Grants work well for this.

Fabrizia Benini: While NGI program is ending, its cascading grants model for individuals not able to access other kinds of funding due to administrative overhead will continue with the Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (DC-EDIC).

#DCPS25