Guardian Project @guardianproject@librem.one

Not sure where #Google asked for feedback about their developer verification program, but they surely didn't talk with #FLOSS devs, civil society, privacy organisations or their #Android users

#FDroid did since September, and interacted with folks in the Fediverse, forum, email and in person

They all voiced one opinion: "developer verification must be stopped"

@marcprux has written an open letter, signed by likeminded organisations who want to #keepandroidopen

Click: https://f-droid.org/2026/02/24/open-letter-opposing-developer-verification.html

See also the complementary blog post: https://f-droid.org/2026/02/24/open-letter-opposing-developer-verification.html

At @fosdem 2026, Neil Johnson explored why sustainability is critical for open source - and why it matters even more for decentralised networks like @matrix.

🌱 “Decentralisation without sustainability is just deferred centralisation.”

True resilience comes from long-term investment: maintaining infrastructure, investing in independent governance, and keeping core functionality open source.

▶️ Watch the talk and read the blog: https://element.io/blog/sustainable-decentralised-comms-at-element/

#KeepAndroidOpen

The FSFE signed an open letter addressed to Sundar Pichai, CEO of #Google, regarding Google's announced policy requiring all #Android app developers to register centrally with Google to distribute applications outside the Google Play Store.

https://keepandroidopen.org/open-letter/

#FreeSoftware developers helped make #Android what it is today. #Google set the tone at the start by making it a more open ecosystem than #iOS and others. We saw #AOSP and its #OpenSource core, and we contributed code, built essential libraries and indispensable apps for the #platform because it was more #open. Now Google wants to take that way from everyone by becoming the sole arbiter of what apps run

https://keepandroidopen.org/

#FLOSS #FOSS #KeepAndroidOpen #AndroidDeveloperVerification

The #FDroid website has a new banner on top to remind visitors that #Google did not change course and #Android will be locked-down in under 200 days.

If you care about the freedom to control your devices and care about the privacy of you data, please contact your representative and make your voice heard.

https://keepandroidopen.org/ (thanks @marcprux) has the resources to guide you.

We know users will rarely visit the site so the Client(s) will get a banner soon too.

Thank you for your support!

If the project you work on is based on a standard or specification external to the project or should be a standard in your opinion, please complete the survey at the following link:

https://sovereigntechfund.limesurvey.net/999999

🗓 Deadline: 9 March 2026

Thank you for your time and for your contributions. 💜

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The Sovereign Tech Agency is exploring how to better support open source maintainers and contributors who are actively working on technology standards relevant to their open source infrastructure projects.

Open standards are foundational to a healthy open source ecosystem. They enable interoperability, enhance digital sovereignty, foster competition and innovation and ensure that critical digital infrastructure remains accessible and serves the public interest.

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“People have a First Amendment right to observe, document, and communicate information about law enforcement activity,” EFF’s Mario Trujillo told The @verge. “There is nothing about using Signal that changes that.” https://www.theverge.com/tech/872493/signal-community-organizing-guide-group-chat

🔒 Decoding E2EE: Privacy vs. Usability

E2EE keeps your messages private - but can make adding devices, recovering lost data, or keeping your identity tricky. We make it seamless with unlimited devices, full history, and easy recovery.

Read about the trade-offs and how we work to solve them: https://element.io/blog/decoding-the-hidden-trade-offs-of-e2ee-and-usability/

Security ≠ surveilling everyone

With 18 CSOs, we have sent a letter to the 🇨🇭 Federal Department of Justice & Police to oppose plans to expand its data retention regime. This proposal forces the collection & retention of people’s data across the board, dramatically widening online surveillance.

It's disproportionate, rights-eroding & incompatible with a democratic society: Swiss authorities must abandon mass data retention & stop treating everyone as a suspect.

📩: https://edri.org/our-work/open-letter-civil-society-concerned-about-extensive-and-indiscriminate-data-retention-regime-in-switzerland/

𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗩!🏛️

After last week's radio buzz, the conversation moved to NOS TV. The consensus? A sovereign Netherlands depends on #OpenSource.

Great to see Frank Feldmann (SUSE), Jos Poortvliet and Chris Hendriks leading the charge.

Ready to move from policy to proof? Use these tools:
🔹 Open Cloud Framework
🔹 SUSE’s Self-Assessment

Watch: [https://nos.nl/l/2600988](https://nos.nl/l/2600988)

#DigitalSovereignty #NL @jospoortvliet @nextcloud @heinleinsupport

This #PlayIntegrity stuff is really questionable. My banking app won't run on a #GoogleFree #LineageOS running #Android 16 with all the latest security updates. But a #GooglePlay device running Android 10 that was last updated in 2021 is approved. This is not a real #security check. This looks like a #gatekeeper #monopoly check.

@osuosl is raising funds to cover critical extra expenses that incurred while moving and modernizing their data center.

They host and maintain not only our gitlab instance, but also a bunch of services for a long list of important free software projects, including @alpinelinux, @armbian, #busybox, @chimera, #Debian, @fdroidorg, @fedora, #ffmpeg, #fosdem, #freedesktoporg, #gcc, @gentoo, @gnome, @inkscape, @kde, #kodi, @LineageOS, the #linux kernel, @llvm, #openbsd, #qemu, @reproducible_builds, @rust, #tor, #vlc and many more:
https://osuosl.org/communities/

Consider donating to them or boosting this post if you want to help them out. Thank you!

Digital sovereignty isn’t just about buying European software - it’s about control, choice and avoiding lock-in.

Open source + open standards let governments operate independently, switch vendors, and keep control over critical tech.

Europe has strong open source foundations, but they’re underfunded. More investment in interoperable, open technologies would boost resilience and EU economic impact.

📝 Blog by @Amandine: Open source is key to Europe’s digital sovereignty: https://element.io/blog/open-source-is-key-to-europes-digital-sovereignty/

The #EpicVsGoogle settlement has shifted to apply globally while watering down the terms. This is worse for #US users without providing much in exchange. Why would #Google accept global scope? Because it is clear that #DigitalMarketsAct and laws like force them to open up anyway, so Google doesn't lose by agreeing to global applicability. In exchange, Google gains weakened terms in the US, which is not pursuing something like the DMA

#EpicGames #DMA #EpicVGoogle #Android #GooglePlay #AntiTrust

The German federal government currently pays €481 million in licensing fees to #Microsoft every year.

I'm sure @zendis could build some nice stuff with half the money and make it available for everybody else to re-use.

#DigitalSovereignty #DigitalCommons #FOSS

If you’re on Linux, there’s a good chance you use GNOME: it’s the default experience across Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora Workstation, Endless OS, and more. If you’re on another desktop, you still likely use components developed by GNOME contributors—or maybe you get apps from Flathub.

Want to become more than just a user? How about… a friend? 🥺 Become a Friend of GNOME to support GNOME, Flathub, and the work we do!

https://donate.gnome.org/

#GNOME #Flathub #Linux #OpenSource

Today's digital #sovereignty data point, courtesy of #SWH2026. This chart shows who is hosting French research projects but I've no doubt it is representative of other sectors.