Ubuntu Wiki

• Launchpad Entry: https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/ethical-info

• Created: Date(2006-06-05T13:10:23Z) by JackWasey

• Contributors: JackWasey

• Packages affected: gdebi dpkg

Summary

Ubuntu has a clear policy on using open and free standards. Some software or services have poor ethical reputations for several reasons. The purpose of this spec is to allow the user to make an informed decision about what they install, and to offer free, open and ethical alternatives. This is particularly important for users in countries where use of certain applications could endanger their personal safety or privacy.

This spec does not prevent the user from installing certain software.

Rationale

Using some 'free' software or services supports companies which engage in practices widely considered unethical. For example:

• Yahoo and others have given information to the Chinese government leading to imprisonment of pro-democracy campaigners.
• Google censors the internet in China.

To be consistent, Ubuntu should inform users of problems with licences and ethics. There are specs for make installing alien applications easier to install. This is good providing the user is armed with information; they are not in Ubuntu for a reason. It should not be made harder to install them, though, and we can retain an "I don't give a damn, install it anyway" option. (If there is any extra dialogue at all.)

There are free alternatives or work-arounds for all commonly-used applications. The purpose of this spec is to allow the user to make an informed decision, not prevent them from installing or using 'bad' software. The links to information can be provided in a (relatively) non-judgemental, factual way. It could be provided in info bubbles, additional dialogues, or as a bare minimum, in /usr/share/doc and on this wiki.

To preserve neutrality and common sense, the information would probably be simply links to respected web sources, such as wikipedia, BBC, Amnesty International, Rapporteurs sans Frontières? (All localised, of course.)

Use cases

• Jenny is a director of a charity who chose Ubuntu because she saw it had an honest and ethical basis. She was therefore surprised and discouraged by the fact that Ubuntu itself encouraged and enabled installing 'bad' software.
• Gordy installs Ubuntu and faces the usual problem with mp3s and DVDs. He is directed to read information about why this is a problem (see other specs), but also reads in the same place that some of his IM networks do not keep his conversations secret. He is informed that Ubuntu offers alternatives, and which networks are private and confidential.
• Dave downloads the Skype deb package from their web page. gdebi offers to install it but first provides warnings about lock-in, propriatery protocols, and links to representative ethical information. He chooses not to install Skype.
• Bob is new to linux and installs Dapper. After installation, he reads information on mp3 and DVD compatibility. He then chooses to run a 'wizard' to bulk convert his mp3 collection to ogg vorbis.
• Kamal's brother was arrested after his Ubuntu computer was traced by government agencies. he is now being held incommunicado. Kamal wants to tell the world what has happened but has to trust the computer and external protocols he is using.

Scope

To begin with, popular 'difficult' application can be covered, particularly Word documents, Skype, Yahoo/MSN instant messaging.

Design

Main Components:

• 1) Easily accessible documentation on these issues
  • Info on this wiki about each common application outside of Ubuntu.
  • Provide links to this wiki and other places
  2) Presentation of hyperlinks to relevant information on installing certain alien software
  • Use warning dialogues or baloons.
  3) Provision of easy routes to installation of acceptable alternatives

Implementation

Idea 1 - moderate

"You have just installed Skype. This is not included in Ubuntu because it does not conform to the Ubuntu charter (see LINK), and some users have ethical objections to using it. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SkypeEthics for more information."

Idea 2 - strong

"You have just installed Skype. This is not included in Ubuntu because: 1) The protocol is secret 2) Skype has tried to engage in anti-competitive practices, by limiting users on conference calls for non-Intel users. 3) Skype censors IM conversations for the Chinese (and other?) government

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SkypeEthics for more information.

Ubuntu offers the following alternatives: Ekiga, Wengophone [with links, etc.]

DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE? [Yes/Cancel]"

Idea 3 - weak

Skype installs without a murmur. However, gdebi/apt/dpkg is aware of this, and places a URL on the desktop of the user who installed the application. The URL would be to the relevant Skype wiki page, not a campaigner's page.

Idea 4 - weakest

Skype installs quietly, but files are added to /usr/share/doc/skype with directions to read the SkypeEthics wiki page.

List of Relevant Software

List of Networks/Protocols

• AOL, Yahoo, MSN connection from GAIM and Kopete should raise warnings & recommend Jabber.

• Some Real audio and video streams
• Anything that Microsoft haven't published fully.
  • Exchange

List of Companies

• General

  • [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4672518.stm Internet firms bowed to Beijing]

  • [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/asia/china-bck-0701.htm Human Rights Watch: Freedom of expression on the net in China]

• Microsoft (sic), see bug #1

  • [http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jan06/01-31BloggingPR.mspx Microsoft policy document]

  • [http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/krumholtz/02-15WrittenTestimony.mspx Congressional Testimony: “The Internet in China: A Tool for Freedom or Suppression?”]

  • [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4088702.stm BBC: Microsoft censors Chinese blogs]

  • [http://www.businessethics.ca/blog/2006/02/peter-singer-on-microsoft-in-china.html Blog discussing MS argument for censorship in China]

  • [http://www.kmfms.com/whatsbad.html Good summary of Microsoft lock-in issues]

• Skype

  • [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/20/skype_china_censorship_row/ The Register: Skype censoring in China]

  • [http://news.ft.com/cms/s/875630d4-cef9-11da-925d-0000779e2340.html FT: Skype says texts are censored by China]

• Yahoo

  • [http://www.searchnewz.com/latestsearch/senews/sn-4-20060512BrinCracksOnYahooCensorship.html Brin from Google on Yahoo]

  • [http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=10539 Yahoo disclosure leads to imprisonments]

• Google

  • [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011903331.html Washington Post: Google refuses demand for search information]

  • [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4630694.stm BBC: Google defies US over search data]

  • [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4761789.stm BBC: Google strives for more openness]

  • [http://www.google.cn/search?hl=zh-CN&q=tiananmen+square Tiananmen square on google.cn]

  • [http://www.google.com/search?q=tiananmen+square Tiananmen square on google.com]

  • [http://www.liberation.fr/page.php?Article=353945 Google censorship in China (en français)]

Packages/Things Affected

• Ubuntu mission statement and policy?
• gdebi
• dpkg
• wine
• Sun Java under current licensing?
• (new Edgy welcome to ubuntu application/web pages/docs)

Code

Outstanding issues

What constitutes ethical will vary from person to person. However, we are not banning software, just pointing out that some/many/most people have ethical objections to it or the company which profits from it. The question of whether something is objectionable is then decided by the user, not by Ubuntu, SABDFL, or the package maintainer.

We do not need to present every minority opinion on a subject, just put the idea in the user's mind and give them the opporuntiy to find out more. A few links for each application should be enough.

BoF agenda and discussion

CategorySpec