Saturday, May 25, 2013

Freedom on mobile devices

by Erik Albers (Free Software Foundation Europe)

Saturday, 25.05.2013, New York III, 14:00-14:45 Uhr

Android is one of the most successful Linux based Operating Systems. Nowadays, just after a few years after publication of its first version, most mobile devices run with the Android system. Just as most mobile devices sold these days come with the Android system already preinstalled by default.

The good message: Android is Free Software. The bad message: Today, customers who buy a mobile device that is delivered with an Android system suffer from integrated anti-features, vendor lock-ins and data leeches.

Fortunately, more and more alternatives are developed (Ubuntu on phone, Firefox OS ...) and forked (Cyanogenmod, Replicant ...) to regain users and software freedom on your mobile phone. What are the differences between them and their difference in comparison to Android? What are the differences in respect of users and software freedom? How can I unlock my phone and install these systems on my device? And how can I further support software freedom in the growing world of mobile computing?

• Free Your Android
• Audio (OGG)
• Audio (MP3)

About the author Erik Albers:

Erik Albers is a political scientist and activist. IT affine since his youth, he is concerned about users and software freedom since many years now. He holds a Masters degree in Politics and Media Science. After his studies, he was woking in Universities IT-support. From there he switched to an internship in a Free Software event agency and, finally, to the Free Software Foundation Europe. Since October now, he is working for FSFE's campaigns and as a campaigner and deputy Fellowship coordinator. Erik's political interest are about democratization, participation and freedom of speech. His legal interests are in copyright and patent law. His IT interests are in Free Software on mobile devices.