USA export restrictions and GPL - how can they co-exist?

Matthew Flaschen matthew.flaschen at gatech.edu
Sat Aug 11 05:56:58 UTC 2007


Peter Lemenkov wrote:
> Hello  All!
> I found recently this restriction:
> 
> http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Distribution/Download/ExportRegulations
> 
> =============================
> 
> By clicking on and downloading Fedora, you agree to comply with the
> following terms and conditions:
> 
> Fedora software and technical information is subject to the U.S.
> Export Administration Regulations and other U.S. and foreign law, and
> may not be exported or re-exported to certain countries (currently
> Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan and Syria)

This does seem like a "further restriction" that the GPL doesn't permit.
 Of course, even without this notice it would still violate U.S. law to
export software to Cuba.  But the point is that it is not Fedora/Red
Hat's place to impose this restriction, and by doing so they seem to be
violating the GPL.

Matt Flaschen




More information about the fedora-list mailing list