Bug#1136336: tech-ctte: Request for intervention on Bug #1135385 (gnome-control-center donation popup)

--=_f7671b0870891380a3fcd652bc8d6fba
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

To: [email protected]
Package: tech-ctte
Severity: serious
Followup-For: Bug #1135385
X-Debbugs-Cc: [email protected],
[email protected]

I request the Debian Technical Committee intervene regarding Bug
#1135385, concerning the default-enabled donation notification in
gnome-control-center, currently dismissed as a duplicate of Bug
#1120511.

The maintainer, Jeremy B=C3=ADcha, has declined to address the core issue,
that a default-enabled fundraising notification violates Debian Social
Contract Clause 4: "We will be guided by the needs of our users and
free software community. We will place their interests first."=20

This feature imposes an external agenda (GNOME Foundation fundraising)
without user consent, undermining user autonomy and Debian=E2=80=99s ethica=
l
foundation. It is not a minor usability concern, but a policy and
philosophical violation, analogous to Bug #964359 (SMPlayer donation
nag), which was patched out due to reputational risk.

The maintainer=E2=80=99s responses (closing as duplicate, telling users to
run commands to disable the notification, etc), fails to engage with
the ethical and policy dimensions. This constitutes a willful
disregard of Debian=E2=80=99s stewardship principles. The issue leaves no
remaining ambiguity and is a direct conflict between upstream agendas
and Debian=E2=80=99s values.

Per Debian Constitution =C2=A76.1.4, I ask the TC to:
    Overrule the maintainer=E2=80=99s decision to dismiss Bug #1135385 and
to discontinue ignoring Bug #1120511.
    Require that the donation notification be either:
        Patched out of the Debian package, or
        Disabled by default with a clear, informed opt-in mechanism.
    Clarify that maintainers must consider Debian Social Contract
violations as actionable, especially when upstream decisions conflict
with user interests.
    Consider whether the maintainer=E2=80=99s continued refusal to address =
a
documented policy violation constitutes an unambiguous failure of
stewardship.

References:
    Bug #1135385: https://bugs.debian.org/1135385
    Bug #1120511: https://bugs.debian.org/1120511
    Bug #964359 (SMPlayer): https://bugs.debian.org/964359
--=_f7671b0870891380a3fcd652bc8d6fba
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"

<span style=3D"font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 150%;"><sp=
an style=3D"font-family:Arial;font-size:14px;line-height:150%;">To: submit@=
bugs.debian.org<br>Package: tech-ctte<br>Severity: serious<br>Followup-For:=
 Bug #1135385<br>X-Debbugs-Cc: [email protected], debian-ctte=
@lists.debian.org<br><br>I request the Debian Technical Committee intervene=
 regarding Bug #1135385, concerning the default-enabled donation notificati=
on in gnome-control-center, currently dismissed as a duplicate of Bug #1120=
511.<br><br>The maintainer, Jeremy B=C3=ADcha, has declined to address the =
core issue, that a default-enabled fundraising notification violates Debian=
 Social Contract Clause 4: "We will be guided by the needs of our users and=
 free software community. We will place their interests first."&nbsp;<br><b=
r>This feature imposes an external agenda (GNOME Foundation fundraising) wi=
thout user consent, undermining user autonomy and Debian=E2=80=99s ethical =
foundation. It is not a minor usability concern, but a policy and philosoph=
ical violation, analogous to Bug #964359 (SMPlayer donation nag), which was=
 patched out due to reputational risk.<br><br>The maintainer=E2=80=99s resp=
onses (closing as duplicate, telling users to run commands to disable the n=
otification, etc), fails to engage with the ethical and policy dimensions. =
This constitutes a willful disregard of Debian=E2=80=99s stewardship princi=
ples. The issue leaves no remaining ambiguity and is a direct conflict betw=
een upstream agendas and Debian=E2=80=99s values.<br><br>Per Debian Constit=
ution =C2=A76.1.4, I ask the TC to:<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; Overrule the maintaine=
r=E2=80=99s decision to dismiss Bug #1135385 and to discontinue ignoring Bu=
g #1120511.<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; Require that the donation notification be eith=
er:<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Patched out of the Debian package, or<br=
>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Disabled by default with a clear, informed opt=
-in mechanism.<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; Clarify that maintainers must consider Debi=
an Social Contract violations as actionable, especially when upstream decis=
ions conflict with user interests.<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; Consider whether the ma=
intainer=E2=80=99s continued refusal to address a documented policy violati=
on constitutes an unambiguous failure of stewardship.<br><br>References:<br=
>&nbsp; &nbsp; Bug #1135385: <a href=3D"https://bugs.debian.org/1135385">ht=
tps://bugs.debian.org/1135385</a><br>&nbsp; &nbsp; Bug #1120511: <a href=3D=
"https://bugs.debian.org/1120511">https://bugs.debian.org/1120511</a><br>&n=
bsp; &nbsp; Bug #964359 (SMPlayer): <a href=3D"https://bugs.debian.org/9643=
59">https://bugs.debian.org/964359</a></span></span>
--=_f7671b0870891380a3fcd652bc8d6fba--