The Document Foundation expelled 30+ LibreOffice developers, many from Collabora Productivity, citing unclear legal conflicts despite major code contributions. ⚖️
Collabora plans a fork, raising risks to stability and governance transparency, as FOSS sustainability and user control depend on open stewardship. 🔐

🔗 https://byteiota.com/libreoffice-ejects-30-core-developers-fork-imminent/

#TechNews #LibreOffice #Office #OpenSource #FOSS #Collabora #Linux #Governance #Transparency #Privacy #Security #Software #Freedom #Developers #Tech #Europe #EU

A proposed Linux kernel driver, hid-omg-detect, scores USB HID devices via timing, latency, and fingerprinting to flag suspicious behavior without blocking input. 🔍
It targets BadUSB-style attacks and defers blocking to USBGuard, emphasizing transparency but relying on user-side control and enforcement. 🔐

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/linux-driver-proposal-malicious-hid-devices/

#TechNews #Linux #Kernel #USB #Cybersecurity #BadUSB #OpenSource #FOSS #Security #Privacy #Transparency #Software #Freedom #Developers #Tech #Driver

Mozilla is adding a built-in VPN and optional AI features to Firefox amid declining share, aiming to restore relevance while balancing privacy, openness, and usability. 🔍
The strategy emphasizes local AI and integrated privacy tools, but opt-out defaults and trust concerns raise risks around user control, transparency, and global access. 🔐

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/opinion/firefox-survival-with-vpn-ai/

#TechNews #Firefox #Mozilla #VPN #AI #Privacy #OpenSource #FOSS #Security #Transparency #Browsers #Software #Freedom #Tech #Data

After 12 years, Ubuntu MATE founder Martin Wimpress will step down and seeks Ubuntu contributors to maintain the official flavor based on the MATE desktop. 🔧
The handover highlights reliance on volunteer maintainers in FOSS; continuity, security updates, and user control depend on transparent community stewardship. 🔐

🔗 https://fossforce.com/2026/03/martin-wimpress-wants-out-at-ubuntu-mate/

#TechNews #UbuntuMATE #MATE #Ubuntu #Linux #FOSS #OpenSource #GNOME #Privacy #Security #Transparency #Community #Software #Freedom #Developers #Tech

The Document Foundation removed 30+ Collabora-linked developers, including top LibreOffice contributors, under bylaws tied to legal disputes. ⚖️
The move raises concerns over governance transparency and contributor influence in major FOSS projects. 🧩

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/document-foundation-collabora-feud/

#TechNews #LibreOffice #Collabora #OpenSource #FOSS #Governance #Transparency #SoftwareFreedom #Community #Fork #Linux #DigitalRights #OpenStandards #EthicalTech #Decentralization

Fedora’s proposal to centralize per-user environment variables under systemd was rejected. ⚠️ Concerns over systemd-less environments like containers prevented adoption, keeping shell-specific RC files as the standard. 🐧

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/fedora-per-user-environment-variables-proposal/

#TechNews #Fedora #Systemd #Linux #FOSS #OpenSource #UserControl #Transparency #EnvironmentVariables #Shell #Container #SoftwareFreedom #DigitalSovereignty #Unix #OperatingSystem #AgeVerification

Gentoo now offers an experimental Hurd port, letting users boot the distro without Linux. ⚙️ The team claims full Linux discontinuation by year’s end, but the feasibility remains highly uncertain. 🐧

🔗 https://fossforce.com/2026/04/must-be-april-fools-day-gentoo-says-its-moving-to-hurd/

#TechNews #Gentoo #Hurd #GNU #Linux #FOSS #OpenSource #UserControl #Transparency #Kernel #OperatingSystem #Privacy #SoftwareFreedom #DigitalSovereignty #Software #Freedom #OS

YouTube rolls out AI-driven age verification to limit minors’ access and personalize content restrictions. ⚠️
Adults must upload IDs or payment info to appeal false classifications, raising privacy and bias concerns. 👁️

🔗 https://www.hercampus.com/school/upr/whos-watching-the-watchers-ai-age-verification-and-online-privacy/

#TechNews #Google #YouTube #AgeVerification #AI #DigitalWellbeing #Privacy #FOSS #UserControl #Transparency #DataProtection #CyberSecurity #OpenSource #InternetSafety #EthicalAI #Surveillance

California requires AI vendors working with the state to implement safety and privacy guardrails. Companies must adopt standards preventing misuse and protecting user rights. 🤖

🔗 https://www.cnet.com/tech/newsom-signs-executive-order-requiring-ai-companies-to-provide-safety-privacy-guardrails/

#TechNews #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Privacy #Safety #Government #Public #Politics #GovTech #FOSS #Transparency #UserControl #Regulation #DataProtection #EthicalAI #Policy #OpenStandards #DigitalRights #California #US #USA