*Please consider adding <[email protected]> to your address book, which
will ensure that our messages reach you and not your spam box.*

*Read and share online: <[link removed]>.*

Welcome to the *Free Software Supporter*, the Free Software
Foundation's (FSF) monthly news digest and action update -- being read
by you and **230,967** other activists.

## TABLE OF CONTENTS

* Join us in saying goodbye to our beloved office on August 16!
* Apple vs EU commission: The FSFE intervenes to safeguard free software
* FlightAware customer data left exposed for over three years
* Microsoft’s latest security update has ruined dual-boot Windows and Linux PCs
* Court to California: Try a privacy law, not online censorship
* Critics of China’s proposed National Internet ID System hit with online bans, censorship, harassment
* Breaking up Google would offer a chance to remodel the web
* GNU MediaGoblin 0.14.0 released
* August GNU Emacs news
* Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory
* LibrePlanet featured resource: LibrePlanet Artists
* August GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Fifteen new GNU releases!
* FSF and other free software events
* Thank GNUs!
* GNU copyright contributions
* Translations of the *Free Software Supporter*
* Take action with the FSF!

View this issue online here: <[link removed]>.

Encourage your friends to subscribe and help us build an audience by
adding our subscriber widget to your website.

* Subscribe: <[link removed]>.
* Widget: <[link removed]>.

Miss an issue? You can catch up on back issues at
<[link removed]>.

Want to read this newsletter translated into another language? Scroll
to the end to read the *Supporter* in French, Portuguese, or Spanish.

***

### Join us in saying goodbye to our beloved office on August 16!

*From August 5 by FSF and August 15 by Christine Hall*

The rumors are true -- the FSF is going fully remote! Last month, we
welcomed many free software activists to our office on 51 Franklin
Street, our home for almost 20 years. We're very excited for this new
chapter in the FSF's history, and are confident that we are now very
well-positioned to continue advocating for user freedom far into the
future. If you missed the party, or haven't visited the office in a while,
we have a photo tour of our workspace from 2010 below. Our
executive director, Zoë Kooyman, also remarked on our shift to remote
work, why we made this decision, and our hopes for how this change
will strengthen the FSF.

* <[link removed]>.
* <[link removed]>.
* <[link removed]>.


### Apple vs EU commission: The FSFE intervenes to safeguard free software

*From August 8*

The Free Software Foundation Europe will be intervening in litigation
brought by Apple against the European Commission before the Court
of Justice of the European Union with the goal of protecting free
software against another attempt at corporate control of software.
Apple is seemingly tireless in seeking new ways to avoid DMA
obligations, and there are probably still a few more developments
on the way before this case can be closed.

* <[link removed]>.


### FlightAware customer data left exposed for over three years

*From August 21 by Isobel O'Sullivan*

It seems that data leaks, faulty updates, and cybersecurity attacks are
endemic right now, but what about a data exposure lasting over three
years? Since 2021, FlightAware's customer personal data has been
available for anyone to access since 2021 because of a "configuration
error," and was only discovered a few weeks ago. Not only is it widely
acceptable for proprietary software companies to bar us from
studying whether software is actually respecting our data, it seems
that we can't trust them to discover problems in a reasonable time
frame, either. If you or anyone you know has an account with
FlightAware, it might be time to reconsider how wise that is.

* <[link removed]>.

### Microsoft’s latest security update has ruined dual-boot Windows and Linux PCs

*From August 21 by Tom Warren*

Microsoft is in the news this month for interfering with GNU/Linux
systems via their latest security update that is now blocking GNU/Linux
installs from booting properly on dual-boot devices. Reportedly, this
patch was intended to enhance Windows security by obstructing
vulnerable GNU/Linux boot loaders, and was not supposed to be applied
to dual-boot systems. We now know that this was an inaccurate
assumption by Microsoft that has impacted GNU/Linux dual-boot users
worldwide, and Microsoft seems to have made zero plans to remedy
the issues caused by their update. If you were affected by this update
(and need help getting around these issues) or simply want to know
more about how it has messed with dual-boot Windows and GNU/Linux
devices, take a look at the Verge article below.

* <[link removed]>.

### Court to California: Try a privacy law, not online censorship

*From August 19 by Adam Schwartz, Mario Trujillo, and Aaron Mackey*

Free speech and privacy won a victory last month after a federal appellate
court last week prevented enforcement of the 2022 California
Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (CAADCA) based on the finding that
parts of it likely violate the First Amendment, and that other parts require
further review by the lower court. The CAADCA requires a majority of
businesses to use invasive age-detection technology and/or only publish
content deemed "age-appropriate," which not only forces users to provide
an excessive amount of personal data, but also burdens online speech
(both adults and minors), likely including access to news about current
events and community resources for mental health help and abuse. At
least for now, the right for internet users of all ages to access and
disseminate lawful speech online is protected in California.

* <[link removed]>.


### Critics of China’s proposed National Internet ID System hit with online bans, censorship, harassment

*From August 9 by Cindy Carter*

A few weeks ago, the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace
Administration of China published a draft law proposing a "voluntary"
national Internet ID program and opened it up for public comment.
Since then, there has been significant public discussion about the
proposed draft law as well as censorship of this discussion, ranging
from blocking related search terms to disabling comment sections
on verified posts. This draft law, should it pass (which seems likely
right now) will almost certainly chill free speech (among other
negative effects), and could set a precedent for other countries.

* <[link removed]>.


### Breaking up Google would offer a chance to remodel the web

*From August 6 by Natasha Lomas (TechCrunch) and August 14 (The Guardian)*

A US district court found Google guilty of operating an illegal
monopoly earlier this month. While it is encouraging to see Google
confronted with their blatant abuse of power over computer users,
we should remain vigilant about any "remedies" that they offer. It's
still too early to say whether any "solutions" that will be coming out
of this ruling will be a win or loss for user freedom, especially
knowing that Google doesn't prioritize user freedom or privacy.

* <[link removed]>.
* <[link removed]>.

### GNU MediaGoblin 0.14.0 released

*From August 29*

We're pleased to announce the release of GNU MediaGoblin 0.14.0. See
the release notes for full details and upgrading instructions:

* <[link removed]>.

### August GNU Emacs news

*From August 26 by Sacha Chua*

* [2024-08-26]([link removed])
* [2024-08-19]([link removed])
* [2024-08-12]([link removed])
* [2024-08-05]([link removed])

### Join the FSF and friends in updating the Free Software Directory

Tens of thousands of people visit directory.fsf.org each month to
discover free software. Each entry in the Directory contains a wealth
of useful information, from basic category and descriptions to version
control, IRC channels, documentation, and licensing. The Free Software
Directory has been a great resource to software users over the past
decade, but it needs your help staying up-to-date with new and
exciting free software projects.

To help, join our weekly IRC meetings on Fridays. Meetings take place
in the #fsf channel on Libera.Chat, and usually include a handful of
regulars as well as newcomers. Libera.Chat is accessible from any IRC
client. Everyone's welcome!

The next meeting is this Friday, September 6, from 12:00 to 15:00 EDT (16:00
to 19:00 UTC). Details here: <[link removed]>.

* <[link removed]>.

### LibrePlanet featured resource: LibrePlanet Artists

Every month on [the LibrePlanet wiki]([link removed]),
we highlight one resource that is interesting and useful -- often one that
could use your help.

For this month, we are highlighting LibrePlanet Artists, which is a
network of graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, videographers,
animators, and audio engineers committed to creating free artwork only
using free software. They help to create educational materials and other
media for LibrePlanet teams, as well as to advocate for free software
generally.

* <[link removed]>.

Do you have a suggestion for next month's featured resource? Let us
know at <[email protected]>.

### August GNU Spotlight with Amin Bandali: Fifteen new GNU releases!

Fifteen new GNU releases in the last month (as of August 31, 2024):

* [bash-5.2.32]([link removed])
* [binutils-2.43.1]([link removed])
* [ddd-3.4.1]([link removed])
* [fontopia-2.0]([link removed])
* [gcc-14.2.0]([link removed])
* [gnudos-2.0]([link removed])
* [gnunet-0.22.0]([link removed])
* [health-4.4.1]([link removed])
* [mediagoblin-0.14.0]([link removed])
* [micron-1.4]([link removed])
* [parallel-20240822]([link removed])
* [readline-8.2.13]([link removed])
* [rush-2.4]([link removed])
* [screen-5.0.0]([link removed])
* [taler-0.13]([link removed])

*For a full list with descriptions, please see <[link removed]>.*

For announcements of most new GNU releases, subscribe to the info-gnu
mailing list: <[link removed]>.

To download: nearly all GNU software is available most reliably from
<[link removed]>. Optionally, you may find faster download
speeds at a mirror located geographically closer to you by choosing
from the list of mirrors published at
<[link removed]>, or you may use
<[link removed]> to be automatically redirected to a
(hopefully) nearby and up-to-date mirror.

A number of GNU packages, as well as the GNU operating system as a
whole, are looking for maintainers and other assistance. Please see
<[link removed]> if you'd like to
help. The general page on how to help GNU is at
<[link removed]>.

If you have a working or partly working program that you'd like
to offer to the GNU project as a GNU package, see
<[link removed]>.

As always, please feel free to write to me, <[email protected]>,
with any GNUish questions or suggestions for future installments.

### FSF and other free software events
* September 14-16, 2024, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, [GNU Tools Cauldron]([link removed])
* September 21, 2024, [Software Freedom Day]([link removed])
* October 17, 2024, [Electronic Frontier Foundation]([link removed])
* October 27-29, 2024, Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, NC, [ATO]([link removed])
* November 8-9, 2024, Online and University of Washington, Seattle, WA, [SeaGL]([link removed])

### Thank GNUs!

We appreciate everyone who donates to the Free Software Foundation,
and we'd like to give special recognition to the folks who have
donated $500 or more in the last month.

* <[link removed]>.

This month, a big Thank GNU to:

* Antonio Carzaniga
* Casper Freksen
* Christian Sperr
* Louis Holbrook
* Matomo.org
* Minoru Sekine
* Nick Graham

You can add your name to this list by donating at
<[link removed]>.

### GNU copyright contributions

Assigning your copyright to the Free Software Foundation helps us
defend the GNU GPL and keep software free.

Want to see your name on the GNU copyright contribution list?
Contribute to GNU and assign your copyright to the FSF.

* <[link removed]>.

### Translations of the *Free Software Supporter*

El *Free Software Supporter* está disponible en español. Para ver la
versión en español haz click aquí:
<[link removed]>.

**Para cambiar las preferencias de usuario y recibir los próximos
números del *Supporter* en español, haz click aquí:**
<[link removed]>.

Le *Free Software Supporter* est disponible en français. Pour voir la
version française cliquez ici:
<[link removed]>.

**Pour modifier vos préférences et recevoir les prochaines
publications du *Supporter* en français, cliquez ici:**
<[link removed]>.

O *Free Software Supporter* está disponível em português. Para ver a
versão em português, clique aqui: <[link removed]>.

**Para alterar as preferências do usuário e receber as próximas
edições do *Supporter* em português, clique aqui:**
<[link removed]>.

### Take action with the FSF!

Contributions from thousands of individual associate members enable
the FSF's work. You can contribute by joining at
<[link removed]>. If you're already a member, you can help
refer new members (and earn some rewards) by adding a line with your
member number to your email signature like:

> I'm an FSF member -- Help us support software freedom!
> <[link removed]>.

The FSF is always looking for
[volunteers]([link removed]). From rabble-rousing to
hacking, from issue coordination to envelope stuffing -- there's
something here for everybody to do. Also, head over to our [campaigns
section]([link removed]) and [take action on software
patents]([link removed]), [Digital Restrictions
Management]([link removed]), [free
software]([link removed]) adoption,
[OpenDocument]([link removed]),
and more.

**Do you read and write Portuguese and English?** The FSF is looking
for translators for the *Free Software Supporter*. Please send an
email to <[email protected]> with your interest and a list of your
experience and qualifications.
--
Interested in helping us expand our reach?

* Follow us on Mastodon at <[link removed]> and PeerTube at <[link removed]>, showing your support for federated social networks.
* Get active on the LibrePlanet wiki: <[link removed]>
* Share on your blog or [social network]([link removed]) that you support us, and why you do so.
* Subscribe to our RSS feeds: <[link removed]>
* Join us as an associate member: <[link removed]>; and display your membership button (<[link removed]>) on your website.

Read our Privacy Policy: <[link removed]>

Sent from the Free Software Foundation,

51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-1335
United States


You can unsubscribe from this mailing list by visiting

[link removed].

To stop all email from the Free Software Foundation, including Defective by Design,
and the Free Software Supporter newsletter, visit

[link removed].