Group: Free Javascript Action Team

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Currently, web applications like Google Docs are transmitting programs written in JavaScript and other languages to users, without unobfuscated source code and without any ability for users to modify them. This means that even in free software web browsers, users are running nonfree programs. Richard Stallman wrote about this in The JavaScript Trap.

The FSF is starting a campaign to get important Web sites working without proprietary JavaScript. Learn more and take action!

We're putting pressure on webmasters to make their sites work without proprietary JavaScript. They can do this by switching to free JavaScript libraries, or by modifying their sites so they don't need JavaScript at all to run. Our tactic is to organize lots of people to contact the webmasters and request the change. The first target Web site is Regulations.gov, which the American government uses to take feedback on proposed regulatory changes.

If you'd like to stay involved with the campaign, join the low-volume JavaScript Action Team mailing list. If you'd like to become more active in the development process, please view the Group:JavaScript Developers Task-Force.

Sample message to Reddit

Submit at http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Freddit.com. This is just a sample message. We recommend you keep the links, but please add a subject line, some details about your use of Reddit and/or why you care about free JavaScript.

Hi Reddit admins. Thanks for all your work.

The Free Software Foundation recently pointed out (https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/freejs-reddit) that while Reddit's source code is available on your GitHub page, some of its JavaScript isn't served as free software, with the necessary links to licenses and source code. Unfortunately, this means that to access Reddit, I have to download and run proprietary code.

I'm writing to request that you make the likely very simple changes needed so that Reddit can be fully accessible without the user running any nonfree JavaScript. It would be excellent if you could make a public announcement that Reddit will plan to do this by the end of January.

The FSF has publicly stated that it would be more than happy to help the Reddit developer community with this, providing expert guidance and resources. You can contact the FSF at campaigns@fsf.org to start a conversation about making Reddit work without any nonfree JavaScript.

More info about the need for free JavaScript on the Web is available at https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/javascript-trap.html, and you can see http://www.gnu.org/software/librejs/free-your-javascript.html for instructions on freely licensing your JavaScript.

Making reddit work without nonfree JavaScript would be a strong next step in embodying the values of transparency and freedom that the reddit community, as well as the free software community, espouses.

List of ideas for focus websites

When adding sites to the list below, if you know how best we can reach the site's decision maker(s), please mention that also.

Popular websites and JavaScript libraries

  • Indiegogo
  • FirstGiving
  • Wix
  • Reddit
  • NASA
  • Twitter (no public email ID, but can be contacted via https://support.twitter.com/forms/feedback, will be easy to put public pressure by the use of hashtag and tagging @twitter in tweets)
  • Gandi (Gandi.net provides Domain names and Servers to freedom-promoting projects but uses some non-free JS on their website)
  • Disqus
  • Eventbrite
  • LinkedIn
  • GitHub
  • LastFm
  • Fronter (Pearson LMS)
  • DuckDuckGo
  • moveon.org
  • Slashdot
  • Gmail
  • Google Maps
  • YouTube
  • Google Docs
  • reCAPTCHA
  • Whistleblowers.org Group:Free_Javascript_Action_Team/whistleblowers

Other things you can do

Here is a basic outline for things that need to be done. Please edit and add your suggestions, and discuss ideas on the Talk page.

  • Install GNU LibreJS, a plug-in for Firefox-based browsers that detects and blocks nonfree JavaScript.
  • Modify browsers to allow users to run their own modified Javascript programs for particular sites that they visit.
  • Write browser extensions that notify users about nonfree Javascript.
  • If you write Javascript, follow the suggestions in Stallman's article, The JavaScript Trap, for clearly and freely licensing your code.
  • Build community repositories of free JavaScript programs useful for popular sites.
  • Raise awareness of this issue by publicizing Stallman's article, writing about the problem yourself, and talking to friends and colleagues about it. Watch this wiki page and help organize the effort.
  • If you see mention of JS freedom, add a link to the Promotion section of this page.

Promotion

List places where discussion about this issue is happening, and join in, calling for free JavaScript.

Resources

  • Noscript - Filter javascript based on domain white/blacklists.
    • Script surrogates are designed to replace undesirable scripts with user-specified alternatives.
  • Greasefire - Firefox-compatible addon to search userscripts.org and install userscripts, displays userscripts which can be used on the currently viewed page
  • Greasemonkey - Firefox-compatible addon to execute user-supplied javascript on certain pages
  • openJSAN.org - JavaScript Archive Network is a comprehensive resource for JavaScript libraries and software.

FAQ

To view frequently asked questions regarding Free JavaScript, please see the Free Javascript FAQ page.

References


"issue" is not in the list (interest, location, project, school) of allowed values for the "Organized around" property.

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