[saag] Re: on derivative work rights statements in emails to Security Area mailing lists

Hi,

I strongly agree that derivative-rights claims are disruptive and should be stopped. Such claims run counter to what the IETF is supposed to stand for: the freedom to use and share information. Participants should not have to worry about copyright to take part in IETF mailing lists.

I’m less convinced that the burden should fall on individual WG chairs. A more effective approach would be to automatically block emails containing derivative-rights claims. Preferably they should not be distributed at all.

Cheers,
John

From: Paul Wouters <[email protected]>
Date: Wednesday, 19 November 2025 at 23:18
To: Saag SAAG <[email protected]>
Subject: [saag] on derivative work rights statements in emails to Security Area mailing lists



The IESG released a statement on Clarifying Derivative Works Rights [1] and

clarified that statement in [2]  that covers emails, complaints, and appeals sent

to WG lists, WG chairs and ADs.


The IESG statement gives us the option to consider repeated derivative rights

claims as disruption.


We would like to draw your attention to:


“(c) silencing of risk-adverse participants – participants that lack the resources

to assess such non-standard new, non-conformant legal clauses will refrain

from participating for fear of liability.”


We consider that such claims deter participation by people without legal support,

and for that reason we ask that no derivative rights claims are attached to future

emails sent to Security Area Working Groups mailing lists.


As Area Directors, we would like to present a consistent view across the Security

Area lists. We urge WG Chairs to warn individuals who continue to post to our

lists using derivative rights claims and to consider repeated posts as Disruptive

Behavior as per [3]:


If members of the community think that such claims should be permitted, they

should join the work in [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> to revise 5378. We will of course respect

any new community consensus that emerges from that.


In a similar vein, discussion of Trust Legal Provisions should be conducted on

[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>.



If you have any questions now or later, feel free to reach out to us.


Deb and Paul

Security Area Directors


[1] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/statement-iesg-statement-on-clarifying-derivative-works-rights/

[2] https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/msg/ietf/d5tK-Ut1QZtgSaodWGC2MCgwqcw/

[3] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/statement-iesg-iesg-statement-on-disruptive-posting-20060217/<https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/statement-iesg-iesg-statement-on-disruptive-posting-20060217/>

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