Absurdity now has a logarithmic scale.
@signalapp has initially been funded by the @OpenTechFund
and is used by the #usgov to plan bombings in #jemen
#doge destroys the funding of the #otf while @TheAtlantic has been invited to this chat.
Signal (Open Whisper Systems) | OTF
https://www.opentech.fund/projects-we-support/supported-projects/signal-open-whisper-systems/
Going to lose the overview? 🤣
@thomasfricke @signalapp @OpenTechFund @TheAtlantic The good news is that the #Trump administration had such a weak case, they just rescinded the grant termination once it came to court. The court also kept the case open, despite the Trump admin arguing it was moot, until they actually paid #OTF the money they were owed. Now OTF has been paid:
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278630/gov.uscourts.dcd.278630.19.0.pdf
@thomasfricke @signalapp @OpenTechFund @TheAtlantic Lucky OTF is popular with the US Congress because it is quite effective, a majority of both Democrats and Republicans support OTF. After the first attempt to shut down OTF in the first Trump administration, Congress changed the law to require the money to fund #FreeSoftware and to require security audits, as well as requiring that OTF specifically has money dedicated to it.
@eighthave @signalapp @OpenTechFund @TheAtlantic
Thanks for pointing out these facts. Looks worse than expected.
@thomasfricke @signalapp @OpenTechFund @TheAtlantic this whole case is a clear example for how the US Federal Gov works. Before #OTF, the money went to a proprietary software firm #UltraSurf, which also refused to do security audits. That firm has been paying #KatrinaSwett to lobby for them to get the money away from OTF. https://www.axios.com/2020/06/23/falun-gong-us-agency-global-media