Re: CoC policy for package contents

Bdale Garbee <[email protected]> Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:28:16 +0200

Newsgroups	gmane.linux.debian.devel.vote
Message-ID	<[email protected]>

Ilu <[email protected]> writes:

> I'm not sure whether developing a Code of Acceptable Content policy at
> this point in time is a good idea though.

I'll go much further than that, and say that I believe it's an
exceptionally bad idea. 

As Debian Developers, we commit to adherence to a set of core common
values, which are expressed in our Social Contract.  None of those
values clearly lead us to need a policy governing package content on any
axis other than compliance with the DFSG.

If external forces, like laws, force us to elide some content or come up
with additional complications in our distribution mechanisms as US law
on crypto export once did, then fine, we'll deal with those when we
must.  But trying to apply some sort of moral code to package content,
or offering to avoid offending individuals or groups with the software
we distribute, feels likely to be directly in conflict with DFSG 5, "No
Discrimination Against Persons or Groups", and/or DFSG 6, "No
Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor".

It is at best a VERY slippery slope given our broad differences of
opinion about what is and is not offensive, that I think we should
completely avoid.  

Bdale

signature.asc (application/pgp-signature, 832 B)