Bart SchapendonkFeb 1
Amir Khan

If you take just one thing away from #FOSDEM this is it.
👇🏽
“If we lose our democracies, Open Source is irrelevant and goes away”

or putting it another way:

If we don’t apply, enforce, adopt and embrace Open Source in our public and government institutions we risk to lose our democracies.
#OpenSource #SaveDemocracy
Boost if you agree!
👍🏾

Feb 1 at 10:43amIceCubesApp
Show threadHyde 📷 🖋 Feb 1

@amirbkhan all those f*ckers of techbros dont believe in democracies anymore. They all want free cities, islands, or any part of the world ruled like a company.

And, that's why they are all licking tho orange puppet's ass ...

Show threadkingmothFeb 1
@amirbkhan Partially agree with the statement as democracy existed way before open source, although it’s true that FOSS enforce the democratic processus inside gouvernment and institutions.
After, will an authoritarian regime might not see any benefit as promoting FOSS, some open source initiative can still exist but will be heavily monitored by the gouvernment, like Red Star OS from the North Korean.
Show threadAsta McCarthyFeb 1

@amirbkhan The other way around is also true: If our democracies don't switch to Open Source software, we will lose democracy.

#Democracy #OpenSource

Show threadTaran RampersadFeb 1

@amirbkhan 1/2
#freesoftware and #opensource will continue, regardless IMHO. They exist in dictatorships, socialist and other regimes. They are sturdier because they chase an ideal of democracy.

We tend to say #democracy is under threat, and to a large extent this is true - the very nature of the ideal.

But when people use it, they sometimes confuse the ideal with the varied implementations which were already broken by design when compared with the ideal.

Show threadTaran RampersadFeb 1

@amirbkhan 2/2

Both implementations of democracy and the ideal are constantly under threat. Now more than any time in my lifetime.

The nature of #freesoftware and #opensource is to be against closed, proprietary systems. Tools for individuals. It has ALWAYS been a resistance to closed, proprietary systems.

In that regard, it echoes more #volunteerism than #democracy. That it is a tool democracy can and should use should not be conflated, imho.

Show threadViolet MadderFeb 8

@knowprose @amirbkhan

Very important insights and distinctions, thank you!

Show thread🤯Matera the Mad🤯Feb 1
@amirbkhan I can't agree on a cause and effect relationship. What I see is that Open Source and Democracy have a lot in common, and it's lack of participation and just fucking guts that kills either/both.
Show threadRussellFeb 1

@amirbkhan a technological fix will not solve a sociological problem.

Open source won't prevent the loss of democracy. It may make it easier to defend, in some scenarios, but it won't help when it's not facts being debated. Or an open source orphan crushing machine is still an orphan crushing machine.

Show threadSTPFeb 1
@amirbkhan A liberal democratic society must include the right to develop and share technology, adopting openly developed and shared technology can certainly aid in protecting liberal democracy.
Show threadJackMexFeb 1
@amirbkhan And the billionaire techno feudalists humanity hater pedophile tech bros are actively attempting to destroy democracy.
Show threadeobetFeb 1

@amirbkhan I disagree with the first part, but agree with your added second part:

https://oldbytes.space/@eobet/115995905646370035

Show threadmmokhi 🇫🇷🇪🇺Feb 1
@amirbkhan @FiLiS
Yes but also IMHO another very important conclusion is where and for who you demonstrate your passion for the technology and the opensource!
It’s important to admit that “I’m neutral” and “I do tech for tech” are really nothing but lies!
People who make technologies accessible for dictatorships and oppressors, whether they approve of them or not, are complices!
(Eg. state censorship machines of some countries that most likely is run by IT experts who sold their souls)
Show threadKevin AshworthFeb 1
@amirbkhan Big tech, closed-source American tech with big moats, is perhaps the biggest threat to the freedoms currently enjoyed in most of Europe. It has corroded the best founding principles of America, and it knows no bounds. Unless checked, it will grow at all costs. All.
Open source, decentralized, federated, no vendor lock-in, etc, etc, are the ways to go.
Show threadDaniel BlakeFeb 1
@amirbkhan @_elena I don’t think you have quite understood the message there.
Show threadCelia ValdeolmillosFeb 2
@amirbkhan partially agree. Besides that, we have to vote for democratic options. Always vote, and sometimes vote to parties we don,t fully like because the alternative are nazis and dictators.
Show threadOld Fucking PunkFeb 2
@amirbkhan "Free software"
Show threadMarty Heyman at COBOLworxFeb 2
@amirbkhan @_elena If you stop using billionaire software, just you, you are depriving them of your revenue, attention, and data. Each of us getting off "platforms" (Window, Mac, Facebook, X, etc.) is a member of the "walk away" revolt. And the continuing work to make Free and Open Source Software more accessible to the rest of them takes power away from the oligarchs AND the government they own. We are #OpenLDAP and #GCC #COBOL, two links in the chain.#