The Free Software Foundation (FSF) recently published a newsletter article discussing software licensing, freedom, and so-called “Responsible AI Licenses” (RAIL).
The main message of the FSF is clear: software that restricts how it can be used is not free software.
What is the FSF?
The Free Software Foundation is an organization that promotes software freedom. It defines free software as software that gives users the freedom to:
- Run the program for any purpose
- Study how the program works
- Modify the program
- Share the program with others
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What is the issue with RAIL licenses?
RAIL (Responsible AI Licenses) are licenses that try to restrict how software can be used, for example by banning certain “harmful” or “unethical” use cases.
At first glance, this may sound positive. However, according to the FSF, such restrictions create serious problems.
Key point:
Any license that restricts usage violates software freedom and is therefore considered nonfree. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
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Why the FSF considers them problematic
The FSF highli…login to view the rest of this post