Re: FTPMaster position statement about package contents
Thank you Joerg
Makes very good sense to me.
On 24 March 2014 20:11, Joerg Jaspert <joerg@debian.org> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Triggered by the discussion to include a controversial "visual novel" in
> the Debian archive, we feel that a statement from the ftpteam on what is
> considered acceptable for the archive is called for. The following may
> be triggered by just one proposed (and in the meantime retracted)
> package, but it is equally valid for a lot of other possible candidate
> packages.
> The packages in question may adhere to our technical standards, and may
> be entirely free in any way we usually judge them - but this is not
> about those standards.
>
> This is also not a moral judgement about the content of such packages,
> as that judgement does vary a lot depending on who you ask, where you
> are, as well as how you were raised.
>
> We opt instead to use a reasoning based on what might harm the project,
> our mirrors, our derivatives or our users. Let us explain with some
> examples what we mean by "harm our project, our mirrors, derivatives, or
> users".
>
> As an example, child pornography or abusive material is something that
> is outlawed around most of the world. In many of the countries where our
> Developers live (as well as your fellow FTPTeam), you can even go to
> jail for just seeing it, even if you haven't actively engaged in it, nor
> did you actively search for it. Downloading a package that contained
> such material, even by mistake, might directly harm our developers and
> our users; and having such files in our archive might also directly harm
> the project as a whole.
>
> As a second example, we might consider adult pornography, which, even if
> legal in many countries, still usually requires a series of controls to
> prevent access from underage children. Since we don't have any such
> controls over the archive, let alone the mirror network, nor do we want
> to impose any such controls on our derivatives, this material would not
> be acceptable in our archive.
>
> Those are just two examples - we sure could go and write down some
> more. But they are examples: we can't foresee all the possible content
> someone may propose.
> So instead, we have a simple set of questions that should be applied,
> helping to judge contents before upload:
>
> - Is it likely illegal in the majority of the countries of our
> Developers?
>
> - Will it harm Debian, our mirrors, derivatives or users and
> potentially endanger them or require extra work on their side to
> protect them from such?
>
> If you can answer these questions with a yes or even a maybe - don't
> upload the package to any project machine (including a VCS), let alone
> the archive. If you are unsure your prospective package may be affected,
> ask FTPMaster before uploading to the archive, or Debian resp. Alioth
> admins before uploading to a VCS repository on Debian machines.
>
> --
> bye Joerg,
> for the FTPMasters and FTP Team
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