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FSF plans campaign against DRM

Published: 13 Apr 2006 15:20 BST

The Free Software Foundation is planning to launch a large-scale campaign against digital rights management later this year.

Peter Brown, the executive director of the Free Software Foundation, said in an interview published on Thursday, that the FSF will target both manufacturers and consumers in a campaign that will start when the second draft of GPL 3 is released in June.

"We haven't got the campaign organised yet, but we're going to be employing a professional campaigner," he said. "There is a real potential for people power, whether it's boycotting devices, or picketing certain places — there are a lot of lovely targets out there. We have thousands and thousands of free software supporters out there and they will be deeply involved in the campaign."

Earlier this year, the FSF revealed that GPL 3 will include provisions against DRM.

Brown hopes people will eventually understand the need for free software, as much as they accept the need to protect the environment or have an ethical monetary policy.

"When you ask people about free software they should instinctively believe in free software. Just like people say 'I recycle my cans,' but don't understand the process behind it, you don't need to have read the GPL, or been a programmer to understand that a computer should be under your control. The typical computer user can't change the software, but then again my mum can't change what the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank is doing, but these issues still matter to her," Brown said.

The full interview with Brown can be read here. As well as discussing the FSF's upcoming campaign against DRM, he explains how he was first exposed to the issue of software freedom when writing code for his Sinclair ZX-81, and discusses how the FSF is run and funded.