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diff --git a/microposts/network-freedom.org b/microposts/network-freedom.org new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4336ace --- /dev/null +++ b/microposts/network-freedom.org @@ -0,0 +1,80 @@ +#+title: User freedom on the web + +#+date: <2022-01-25> + +The user freedom issues on the web are slightly complicated. + +- Client-side: is code executed on the client machine (e.g. javascript) + free? If so then the user's freedom is protected. + - Then there's also the case when the client blocks the execution of + nonfree javascript (e.g. by using [[https://www.gnu.org/software/librejs/][LibreJS]]), in which case the + user's freedom is still protected. + - There are also false positives when using LibreJS, when the + javascript code is free, but not labelled or annoated in a + LibreJS-compliant way. In this case, since the client code is + free it is safe to whitelist the scripts. +- Server-side: is the server not under the user's (individual or + collective) control, doing computing on the user's behalf? If so + then that's bad (SaaSS), otherwise user freedom respecting. + - Examples of computing inherently one's own include translation, + photo editing etc. + - Examples of computing not inherently one's own are generally + activities requiring communication with others' computers, include + accessing information published by others (e.g. reading a blog + post) and publishing information (e.g. tweeting). + +Case studies: +- Visiting [[https://fsf.org][the FSF homepage]] in a graphical browser like Firefox :: This + is fine, because all Javascript is trivial or LibreJS compliant. + Reading information published by the FSF is computing not inherently + one's own, so it's not SaaSS hence freedom respecting. +- Tooting on Mastodon using its web client :: This is generally fine, as + Mastodon webclient is free software, and some instances (like + hostux.social) are LibreJS-compliant. Publishing microblogposts is + a communication act, thus the Mastodon service that does so is not + SasSS. +- Watching videos on Peertube using its webclient :: Even though + Peertube is unusable with LibreJS on, it is free software from + backend to frontend. Whitelisting is generally safe. Watching + videos is again access information published by others, thus not + SaaSS. +- Recaptcha :: Requires nonfree JS, bad. +- Watching YouTube videos on an invidious proxy :: + similarly reading tweets on nitter, reading stuff on bibliogram or + doing these activities using a free software client. This is + certainly OK on the frontend as well as backend since it's + communication. +- Routing on osmand :: Osmand is a free software client and all + computation happens locally so it's good. +- Routing on osm.org :: It depends whether the routing calculation is + done locally using free javascript programs, or remotely (SaaSS). +- Reading github issues :: Doable with LibreJS blocking all + non-trivial nonfree javascript, and it is communications. +- Publishing tweets using free software clients :: Using free clients + is fine on the client side, and publication counts as communication + i.e. not SaaSS. [[https://www.fsf.org/twitter][This is what the FSF does]]. +- Get weather forecast :: Even though the forecast is done by + computation on meteorological data, the user did not supply data, + thus such computation does not count as SaaSS. It is similar to + when someone does computation in their head (to outline, draft and + revise) before publishing a blog post. + +We can spot some trends from these case studies: +- Generally, a free software (not necessarily web) client is good. + Many tools offer help with this, including the alternative + frontends, haketilo and woot.tech. +- F-droid Non-Free Network Service antifeature is not consistent with + the above method. In fact, it is not clear what is the definition + of this antifeature. For example, free alternative frontends like + [[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/][NewPipe]] and [[https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.jonjomckay.fritter/][Fritter]] are labelled with such antifeature, though by + the analysis above these are fine. +- AGPL is mostly irrelevant in this discussion because it is mostly + concerned with the freedom of the service provider, even though it + is the best software license. +- It's OK freedom-wise to use GAFAM service as long as the client is + free and the service does not count as SaaSS, though there are + separate concerns like user privacy. + +Further readings: +- [[https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.en.html][Who Does That Server Really Serve?]] +- [[https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html][Network Services Aren't Free or Nonfree; They Raise Other Issues]] |