Software Freedom Law Center

The Software Freedom Law Center

We provide legal representation and other law-related services to protect and advance Free, Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS). Founded in 2005, the Center now represents many of the most important and well-established free software and open source projects.

Services

SFLC offers direct services to nonprofit FLOSS developers without charge, as well as publications for everyone. Learn more about our services...

Publications

SFLC frequently publishes the results of its legal analysis of various FLOSS-related legal issues. Browse our legal publications...

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Upcoming Engagements

Open Source Business Conference
March 18, 2010 — Karen M. Sandler — The Palace Hotel, San Francisco, CA

Update from SFLC
March 20, 2010 — Karen M. Sandler — LibrePlanet2010, Harvard Science Center, Cambridge, MA

Software Freedom In Network Services
March 21, 2010 — Bradley M. Kuhn — LibrePlanet 2010, Harvard Science Center, Cambridge, MA, USA

The Software Freedom Law Show

March 2, 2010

Episode 0x22: Some of What You Need to Know About Trademarks

Karen and Bradley discuss some basic issues regarding trademarks for Free Software projects.

Read the show notes...

The Software Freedom Law Show Archive...

SFLC Blog

March 12, 2010

New Export Rules Promote Internet Freedom

Earlier this week, the Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the relaxation of rules prohibiting export of software to Iran and Sudan. The new exemptions build on a recent easing of some rules governing exporting telecommunications technology to Cuba. These moves are surely an attempt to capitalize on the Iranian election demonstrations last summer that some called the "Twitter Revolution". They are also a sign that the Obama Administration is carrying out its plans to make internet freedom a pillar of US diplomacy.

I hope the revised OFAC rules are the beginning of a broad and nuanced re-examination of US technology export policy. They are certainly good news for Free Software developers who are currently prohibited from distributing their software in embargoed countries.

Ok, Be Afraid if Someone's Got a Voltmeter Hooked to Your CPU

I was this morning greeted with news from many places that OpenSSL, one of the most common FLOSS software libraries used for cryptography, was somehow severely vulnerable.