GrapheneOSGrapheneOS started in 2014 and was originally named CopperheadOS. In late 2015, the Copperhead company was founded which was meant to support the project. Copperhead didn't create CopperheadOS and didn't own or control it. Copperhead made a failed takeover attempt on it in 2018.
GrapheneOS still has the original CopperheadOS repositories on GitHub. Copperhead seized a bunch of the project's infrastructure and accounts. They created a closed source fork of GrapheneOS called CopperheadOS after the split which was not the same CopperheadOS as the original.
Copperhead remained entirely dependent on GrapheneOS and had to keep forking our code for each major Android update. Despite depending on GrapheneOS, they waged a war against it trying to destroy the project and attempting to ruin the lives of our team, especially our founder.
Copperhead heavily pushed the false narrative that they created the project and that we created a fork in 2018 which absolutely isn't true. Their claims fell apart in their legal attacks on GrapheneOS and we wiped out their closed source fork by forbidding them using our code.
Copperhead heavily edited Wikipedia to push their false narrative. It's why there's a huge article on CopperheadOS presenting it as a separate product when it wasn't one and an inaccurate history in the GrapheneOS article. False narratives about our team are still there too.
Copperhead published a bunch of press releases and did interviews pushing their false narrative. Many companies including Twitter defaulted to taking the word of a tiny corporation falsely claiming credit for our work over us. We've yet to receive back our stolen Twitter account.
Copperhead made the attacks personal and targeted the founder of GrapheneOS with fabricated stories and vile personal attacks. Henry Fisher (Techlore) collaborated with Copperhead to make it into widespread harassment. Others opportunistically took advantage of the situation.
Nicolas Merrill took advantage of the situation. He hired a Copperhead employee involved in the takeover to create CalyxOS. CalyxOS heavily used our code and documentation. It was promoted by attacking us and portraying themselves as being above the situation with Copperhead.
Nicolas Merrill burned down Calyx and CalyxOS on his way out. Nick was secretly working on a for-profit company to replace Calyx. He used Calyx resources for his personal benefit and was pushed out. Louis Rossmann is one of 3 co-founders of the company:
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2009536/000200953624000001/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml
No one should believe the false narratives peddled by these people. They've always been in it for personal benefit and have caused immense harm to actual efforts to improve privacy and security. We're willing to forgive people who were duped by their fabrications, just reach out.
We're offering forgiveness to people who have engaged in years of libel/harassment towards us if they take down their attacks, debunk it and help repair the harm caused to us. This offer even extends to Henry Fisher and Louis Rossmann. Alternatively, we can address it in court.
wod0bowI think that communities (GrapheneOS and Rossmann) don't have full view of that case and it never received transparent presentation.
Even if both attacks each other.
IDK if approach you chosen is the best way and I have some doubt's.
Maybe the private message to Louis will be more approperiate? Just to solve all issues between both sides without public.
Personally I don't like washing dirt's in public. But this is only my humble opinion.
We are only people and we all have flaws.
@wod0bow Rossman engaged in his extraordinarily harmful attacks on GrapheneOS with fabrications, misrepresentations and harassment he deliberately orchestrated from his large number of followers. He did it because a developer who was upset with him private message after months of Rossmann's bullying in private and public which included his support for Techlore's attacks on GrapheneOS which had escalated to repeated swatting attacks from his community. We're open to resolving it with lawsuits.
I understand your approach. Even the legal path. I just don't know if it should be public before the final resolution or even any true actions.
IMHO if you are trying to have good relations with someone you should talk with that particular person and try to solve issues instead of talking about that to the public.
If you are going with legal path than instead talking about that file a lawsuit. And announce that to public.
But maybe this is only my approach.
HybridStaticAnimate@wod0bow @GrapheneOS
Concealing abuse, as a victim of it, is not really a good idea.
Last time GOS tried to privately raise the issue and discuss it, they were publicly humiliated and misrepresented. GOS is giving them a chance for forgiveness.