From 24ba2134fae77c76af8ab5880e1b21b519ed5941 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2023 13:18:02 +0100 Subject: Add generated markdown files. Signed-off-by: Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli --- ...-on-terminal-devices-and-public-consultation.md | 99 ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 99 insertions(+) create mode 100644 markdown/2017_12_contributions-to-arcep-work-on-terminal-devices-and-public-consultation.md (limited to 'markdown/2017_12_contributions-to-arcep-work-on-terminal-devices-and-public-consultation.md') diff --git a/markdown/2017_12_contributions-to-arcep-work-on-terminal-devices-and-public-consultation.md b/markdown/2017_12_contributions-to-arcep-work-on-terminal-devices-and-public-consultation.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0717078 --- /dev/null +++ b/markdown/2017_12_contributions-to-arcep-work-on-terminal-devices-and-public-consultation.md @@ -0,0 +1,99 @@ +tags: Institutional, Paul Kocialkowski +date: 2017-12-29 16:32 +title: Contributions to ARCEP work on terminal devices and public consultation +--- +While Replicant is mainly backed by Wolfgang in terms of technical +contributions nowadays, Denis and Paul are still active in the project, in +other ways. + +Over the past few months, we have been working with [ARCEP][1], the +independent French governmental agency in charge of regulating +telecommunications. The agency is working on evaluating [the influence of +terminal devices in achieving an open Internet][2], with a particular focus on +mobile device. A [first report][3] on this topic was issued at the end of may +2017, based on consultations with various members of the industry as well as +non-profits such as [FFDN][4], the federation of non-profit ISPs. This first +document presents ARCEP’s approach to the application of [EU regulation +2015/2120][5], that gives users specific rights regarding their choice of +terminal devices. It provides an analysis of the various actors involved with +terminal devices, making clear distinctions between the hardware, operating +system, applications and services. + +The EU regulation is however less specific and the articles related to +terminals can be interpreted with different scopes: + +> When accessing the internet, end-users should be free to choose between +> various types of terminal equipment […]. + +> End-users shall have the right to access and distribute information and +> content, use and provide applications and services, and use terminal +> equipment of their choice […]. + +A narrow understanding would associate the choice of the terminal witch +choices made available from the industry, while a broader understanding, that +ARCEP is pursuing, also takes in account all the actors involved at every +level, including actors from the free software community such as Replicant. +This lead the authority to get in touch with us, after members of FFDN kindly +put-in a word of recommendation for Replicant. + +We attended an initial meeting in Paris in September, where we explained our +action at Replicant, the problems we are facing and key elements to shape +their understanding. We mentioned that not only the operating system should be +considered separately in terms of choice, but also other software components +such as the boot software, the privileged execution environment and the modem +system, that are also crucial parts of a terminal device that can (and often +do) restrict the user. + +In November, we attended a workshop with members of the industry, that +included Microsoft and Qualcomm among others. We took the occasion to directly +question them regarding deliberate choices that are detrimental to users in +terms of freedom. It seemed agreed and understood that the ability to load an +alternative operating system is a necessity for users and that mistakes were +made in the past in that area. However, many of the perspectives presented by +the industry were not satisfactory in terms of freedom and privacy/security +for end users, especially when it comes to IoT and ISP-provided routers that +keep embedding more functionalities. We did not always get answers to our +questions, as the representatives that were sitting at the table did not share +our technical background and thus sometimes did not fully grasp the reality of +the situations at hand. + +ARCEP is now organizing a [public consultation][6] on the influence of +terminal devices on an open Internet, that is presented in a [dedicated +document][7]. Anyone is welcome to submit a contribution, to share their +understanding of what the free choice of terminal devices should entail, +either in French or in English. This is an opportunity to send a strong +message in favor of free software at all the levels involved in mobile +devices: boot software, privileged execution environment (often called +TrustZone), operating system, applications and modem system. ARCEP is now +organizing a [public consultation][6] on the influence of terminal devices on +an open Internet, that is presented in a [dedicated document][7]. Anyone is +welcome to submit a contribution, to share their understanding of what the +free choice of terminal devices should entail, either in French or in English. +This is an opportunity to send a strong message in favor of free software at +all the levels involved in mobile devices: boot software, privileged execution +environment (often called TrustZone), operating system, applications and modem +system. Replicant will also submit a contribution in this direction, that will +be published on the Replicant blog soon. + +The consultation is open until the **10th of January 2018** and submissions +can be sent to: [terminaux@arcep.fr][8]. + + [1]: + + [2]: + + [3]: + + [4]: + + [5]: + + [6]: + + [7]: + + [8]: + + -- cgit v1.2.3