non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
established in 2004. The group is the lead organizer of
Software Freedom Day
Software Freedom Day (SFD) is an annual worldwide celebration of Free Software organized by the Digital Freedom Foundation (DFF). SFD is a public education effort with the aim of increasing awareness of Free Software and its virtues, and enc ...
, and
Hardware Freedom Day
Hardware Freedom Day is an annual celebration organized by the Digital Freedom Foundation. The goal of Hardware Freedom Day is to celebrate the spirit of open hardware and make more people aware of using and contributing to free and hardware proje ...
, as well as other "freedom days".
History
The organization was founded in 2004 as Software Freedom International, and formally registered as a charity in 2007. In 2011, the group changed its name to the "Digital Freedom Foundation" to reflect the creation of additional "freedom days" celebrating
culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these grou ...
,
hardware
Hardware may refer to:
Technology Computing and electronics
* Electronic hardware, interconnected electronic components which perform analog or logic operations
** Digital electronics, electronics that operate on digital signals
*** Computer hard ...
, and
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. ...
Document Freedom Day
Document Freedom Day (DFD) is an annual event to "celebrate and raise awareness of Open Standards". It is celebrated on the last Wednesday of March each year. Document Freedom Day was first celebrated on 26 March 2008, and has continued to be cele ...
, which was initially started by the
Free Software Foundation Europe
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is an ''eingetragener Verein'' (registered voluntary association) under German law. It was founded in 2001 to support all aspects of the free software movement in Europe, with registered chapters in sev ...
. The DFF had received tax-empt status in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
under its original name in order to make donations
tax-deductible
Tax deduction is a reduction of income that is able to be taxed and is commonly a result of expenses, particularly those incurred to produce additional income. Tax deductions are a form of tax incentives, along with exemptions and tax credits. ...
. Since then, the organization moved to
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
before registering in
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
following the relocation of several board members.
Events
The Digital Freedom Foundation organizes the following "freedom day" events:
*
Education Freedom Day
Education Freedom Day (EFD) is an international event launched by the Digital Freedom Foundation in 2013. It's annually observed on March 21. It is similar to other Freedom Days, namely Software, Hardware and Culture Freedom Day. The goal of EDF ...
(third Saturday in January)
*
Document Freedom Day
Document Freedom Day (DFD) is an annual event to "celebrate and raise awareness of Open Standards". It is celebrated on the last Wednesday of March each year. Document Freedom Day was first celebrated on 26 March 2008, and has continued to be cele ...
(last Wednesday of March)
*
Hardware Freedom Day
Hardware Freedom Day is an annual celebration organized by the Digital Freedom Foundation. The goal of Hardware Freedom Day is to celebrate the spirit of open hardware and make more people aware of using and contributing to free and hardware proje ...
(third Saturday in April)
*
Culture Freedom Day
Culture Freedom Day is an observance of free culture. It takes place annually on the third Saturday of May. It aims at educating the worldwide public about the benefits of using and encouraging free culture as well as providing an international da ...
(third Saturday in May)
*
Software Freedom Day
Software Freedom Day (SFD) is an annual worldwide celebration of Free Software organized by the Digital Freedom Foundation (DFF). SFD is a public education effort with the aim of increasing awareness of Free Software and its virtues, and enc ...
(third Saturday in September)
Board members
* Frederic Muller (President), founding member and former President of the
Beijing GNU/Linux User Group
The Beijing GNU/Linux User Group (BLUG) was founded in Beijing on November 19, 2002, and has since met at least monthly without exception. It was awarded Best SFD 2007 event (1 of 3), Golden Bull 2008 by CSDNRUR-PLE (a python learning environment for children) and a GNOME Foundation member.
* Pockey Lam (VP, Treasurer), Former president of
Beijing GNU/Linux User Group
The Beijing GNU/Linux User Group (BLUG) was founded in Beijing on November 19, 2002, and has since met at least monthly without exception. It was awarded Best SFD 2007 event (1 of 3), Golden Bull 2008 by CSDNBeijing GNU/Linux User Group
The Beijing GNU/Linux User Group (BLUG) was founded in Beijing on November 19, 2002, and has since met at least monthly without exception. It was awarded Best SFD 2007 event (1 of 3), Golden Bull 2008 by CSDNPia Waugh
Pia Andrews (née Pia Smith, also formerly known as Pia Waugh), born 1979, is an open government leader and the ''Special Advisor, Digital & Client Data Workstream Lead'' for Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
Andrews spearheaded ...
(President), of
Linux Australia Linux Australia is the national, Australian Free and Open Source Software Community organisation. It was founded in 1997 and formally incorporated in New South Wales as a non-profit organisation in 1999. Linux Australia aims to represent Australian ...
* Henrik Nilsen Omma of TheOpenCD project
* Phil Harper, of TheOpenCD project
*
Benjamin Mako Hill
Benjamin Mako Hill is a free software activist, hacker, author, and professor. He is a contributor and free software developer as part of the Debian and Ubuntu projects as well as the co-author of three technical manuals on the subject, ''Debia ...
, of the
Free Software Foundation
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Richard Stallman on October 4, 1985, to support the free software movement, with the organization's preference for software being distributed under copyleft ("s ...
* Sidsel Jensen, DKUUG
*
Frederick Noronha
Frederick Noronha (born 23 December 1963) in São Paulo, Brazil is a journalist based in Saligão in the Bardez taluka of Goa. He is active in cyberspace and involved with e-ventures involving Goa, developmental concerns and free software. Noro ...
Public Domain Day
Public Domain Day (PDD) is an observance of when copyrights expire and works enter into the public domain. This legal transition of copyright works into the public domain usually happens every year on January 1 based on the individual copyright ...
*
International Day Against DRM
International Day Against DRM (IDAD), sometimes called just Day Against DRM or anti-DRM day, is a grassroots international observance of protests against digital rights management (DRM) technology. The event is intended as "a counterpoint to the ...
, organized under the
Defective by Design
Defective by Design (DBD) is an anti- DRM initiative by the Free Software Foundation. Digital rights management (DRM) technology restricts users' ability to freely use their purchased movies, music, literature, software, and hardware in ways th ...