[Ambassadors] Re: Free Media Issues

[Paul W. Frields]

On Fri, May 08, 2009 at 06:10:03PM -0500, inode0 wrote:
> On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 5:22 PM, Paul W. Frields <stickster at gmail.com> wrote:
> > The Fedora Project is treated as any US entity or person by US law.
> > US law includes embargoes and other regulations that place severe
> > restrictions on the export of certain types of materials, including
> > some of the software found in Fedora, to specific nations.  (Other
> > general restrictions exist which probably apply to Fedora as well.)
> > These nations are Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Sudan, and Syria.
> > Therefore, we're strictly forbidden from exporting Fedora to those
> > nations, or from aiding in their transference.  For example, we cannot
> > accept requests to ship media to those nations under any part of the
> > Fedora Project.
> 
> Ok, with respect to distribution of media this is pretty clear.
> Although there is always this parenthetical "other restrictions" that
> remains a mystery to me. What are those restrictions? How do they
> apply to other areas of the Fedora Project?

I don't know that I even understand all of them.  The export laws are
pretty detailed and numerous, which is why there are lawyers who
specialize in them.  I do know that certain kinds of software, like
strong cryptography, are included.  Other kinds of software, maybe
even software in general, may be included as well.  There may be
simple exchanges of goods including computer media that are included.
The practical point is that Fedora feels the impact on a lot of
different levels.

> For example, in the Q1 events I see an event in Sudan.
> 
> http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FedoraEvents#FY10_Q1_.28March_2009_-_May_2009.29_3
> 
> What are Fedora representatives allowed to do at an event in one of
> these nations?

The Fedora Project cannot give any monetary support to these events.
Doing so would create a business relationship that violates the law.

> My biggest question remains this. How can ambassadors know what they
> are allowed to do to help contributors from these nations to
> participate in the Fedora Project?

IANAL, but speaking as the FPL, the Fedora Project itself should not
be hosting materials that violate, or give the appearance that Fedora
is violating, export restrictions.

-- 
Paul W. Frields                                http://paul.frields.org/
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