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SourceForge blocks Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan and Cuba
That isn't the beginning of the story though: back in 2008 the same countries were allowed to surf SourceForge, but not interact with the source code repositories -- they could download, but couldn't contribute. Now it seems the access block is complete -- if you live in Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan or Cuba, you simply can't access SourceForge.
ArabCrunch (seemingly not affiliated with its uglier forebear TechCrunch) goes on to share some details on the definition of open source and what it actually means to be 'open'. As defined by the Open Source Initiative (OSI):
At the end of the day, open source ideology be damned, is SourceForge going to argue with the U.S. State Department if they're told to block 'rogue nations'?5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons.
6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research.
It's a tricky subject: should these five countries be persecuted because of the extreme actions enacted by a tiny percentage of their population? Open source software provides a vital building block for these oppressed and developing nations -- I hope the U.S. government can see the potential damage to new infrastructure and fledgling business this might cause.
Update 25th January 2010: SourceForge has issued a statement regarding this situation. Nothing new though, just an apology to those affected by the change.
Comments
42
Subscribe to commentsJoeJan 25th 2010 10:27AM
As you say, "[o]pen source software provides a vital building block for these oppressed and developing nations." The US knows this, and this is part of the reason why they would want sites like this to be blocked. If they are using sanctions against these countries, it only makes sense for sites like this to be blocked as well. The purpose of sanctions is to influence the country to come in line with the policies of the country issuing the sanctions.
I'm an American, but I won't speak to whether or not these policies are right or just. I'm sure everyone has their opinions on this, and they are no doubt strong. I'm not posting this to influence anyone. I just feel it's important to understand that this isn't an attack on open source software. It's just another necessary component of sanctions, good or bad.
Sebastian AnthonyJan 25th 2010 10:39AM
My main problem is that SourceForge just HAPPENS to be American.
The code might not be American!
A French project might be held on SourceForge servers -- why should that project be under U.S. sanctions?
I know it's a very tricky subject. The whole 'Internet International Law' thing is going to come under a lot scrutiny in the coming months/years :)
JoeJan 25th 2010 11:34AM
This is true. If SourceForge is an international effort, it shouldn't be governed by the laws of an individual nation. Perhaps in lieu of some future change in the way the Internet as the whole is handled, some international player could pick up the mantle for hosting these projects out of a nation that would be less restrictive.
As always, the Internet is probably as close to a democracy as practically possible, and so if the users disagree with SourceForge's decision to comply with US sanctions, they could always take their business elsewhere. SourceForge may be one of, if not THE, premiere open-source repositories, but it doesn't mean that one or many others wouldn't step in to replace it.
The3rdNuisanceJan 31st 2010 3:43AM
Nice comment Joe, well said.
Sebastian, if the files loaded onto Sourceforge are from a French developer, and they disagree with the ban, there is a very simple solution: You host the project on another website. Sourceforge isn't the only choice. If you're using it just because it's more popular, you can still have a Sourceforge project, and a project elsewhere.
r3loadedJan 25th 2010 10:39AM
At least leave Cuba out of it - what have they done wrong for the past couple of decades?
Sebastian AnthonyJan 25th 2010 11:22AM
Are they democratic yet?
I assume the list is something to do with unstable leadership.
r3loadedJan 25th 2010 1:10PM
Well, on that basis, we should ban access to many, many different countries - Saudi Arabia, China and Russia for starters...
dystopiasJan 25th 2010 10:47AM
"It's a tricky subject:"
It's not a tricky subject.
"should these five countries be persecuted because of the extreme actions enacted by a tiny percentage of their population?"
No.
That wasn't so hard was it?
danielJan 25th 2010 1:37PM
It's not the actions of terrorists in their countries, it's the actions of those coutries' leadership, either being threatening like North Korea, tacitly condoning terrorism, or perpetuating unjust governments. There are known terrorists in Pakistan but the country is not sanctioned because their state leadership does not harbor or condone terrorism and cooperates in ending it.
mkoJan 25th 2010 10:49AM
In Soviet Russia websites block YOU!
Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
NickJan 25th 2010 12:05PM
Free software for free people. I guess.
MarcJan 25th 2010 12:08PM
WTF ? This is like a conspiracy , we´ve started and opensource project and the only developer is from iran !
http://sourceforge.net/projects/opencu/
Sebastian AnthonyJan 25th 2010 12:10PM
Well I guess it won't be developed any more :(
MarcJan 25th 2010 12:17PM
Guess thats why he wrote this ;-)
http://nofilter.isgreat.org/en/index.htm
yonnieJan 27th 2010 11:19PM
Guess you better toss-out your dictator
fikhlJan 25th 2010 12:49PM
Great! Let me check the internet services left for us:
YouTube: wait, it's blocked by the government.
Facebook (and nearly all the other social-networking sites): Again, blocked by the government.
Picasa: Blocked by the government.
Flickr: Blocked by the government.
Google Gears, Google Earth: Guess what! blocked by Google!
Dear Apple, I got an iPod touch, I was wondering if I could get that iFart app? I'll pay for that!
No you can't, iTunes is not available in your region! GTFO!
Add on the fact that internet is heavily censored here in Iran, and the local ISPs do not have permission to provide speeds more than 128kbps to home users! That speed limitation alone renders half of the services on the internet useless to us. High-speed internet prices are so ridiculously high that only a small percentage of the population can afford that.
I was quite shocked when reading this, wasn't the whole idea of open-source software to give EVERYONE regardless of their nationalities and other political bullshit free, quality software? I don't know what these people are trying to achieve by restricting access to such websites and services, but in fact they're only hurting ordinary citizens and internet users, not their cruel leaders and governments.
Pathetic.
Sebastian AnthonyJan 25th 2010 12:55PM
Nice avatar... :)
At least you can still read Download Squad!
But yeah, definitely time to look at the American-companies-operating-on-an-international-network rules.
danielJan 25th 2010 1:37PM
As others have said, this is not SF's fault. They are merely complying with US export law. Open Source has nothing to do with it anyway, as the code itself is not being restricted, the American personnel and server resources that deliver the content are restricted. As Joe said, one can use another code repository, the law won't go after the code.
It is also true that in the short run, embargoes of any kind hurt people of a sanctioned country more than its leaders. The end-goal here is not to permanently deny people of sanctioned countries goods and services, the goal is to heap so much inconvenience and frustration on the countries that eventually their leaders give in or their people revolt and oust their leaders. Google, SF, Apple, these are American groups using American resources, and are beholden to American law and policy. If they really, really dislike it, they relocate. But obviously they don't dislike it that much.
I do wonder, though, if it would be more effective to instead make available to people of these nations the technological tools to circumvent the censorship imposed by their own governments. Cutting people off does alienate them, and then just makes them more susceptible to the drivel their leaders spew. If people of these countries were pulled into the world internet community, despite their leaders' efforts to the contrary, they may better be quickened to revolution.
Regardless, nothing is going to get better until the leaders of these countries change their politics (unlikely), die and are replaced by more moderate leaders (most likely), or are overthrown by their own dissatisfied people (least likely, but would get the job done most effectively).
VotreJan 25th 2010 1:50PM
It's a snarky world out there today with all the conflicting interests and the politicos we've got running it. Knowledge is power. Information is wealth. And there will always be winners and losers in that game.
I think the FOSS community is going to have to start dealing with a very basic bit of reality - they have no legal power to compel a government (any government) to do anything.
And while FOSS may be founded on the noblest of principles, those same principles have no more effect on governments than any other "shining example" out there. The OSF may "own" the GPL. But governments own the infrastructure, the courts, and the regulatory authorities.
Anybody wanna bet how it's gonna play out any time push comes to shove under that scenario?
Maybe it's high time for the diehard FOSS advocates to acknowledge that their dream for a fully open society based on the free flow and sharing of information is little more than that. A dream.
At least in the current political climate.
JayJan 27th 2010 12:05PM
Bull... All that is needed is a mirror or mirror in other countries.