On 12/05/26 4:24 am, Nilesh Patra wrote:
> Hi,
>
> [ CCing a few relevant folks for my question ]
>
> Reading this bug report made me realize, it is kind of similar for riseup-vpn
> package.
> That displays a MOTD with a "please donate if you can" banner everytime one
> runs the app.
>
> I've never got bug reports for it yet. Is that an actual problem? I'd feel
> really bad
> to remove it, and personally would not want to do it.
To add more context: all other platforms where this is distributed - non-linux
OS, and ubuntu PPA
(unlike gnome it is not specific to linux) does display the banner.
Also, it is a "service" (not just an app) so I feel it is fair for the banner
to be displayed.
> I'm looking for advice here.
>
> Thanks!
>
> On 12/05/26 2:35 am, [email protected] wrote:
>> 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 Bícha, 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."
>>
>> This feature imposes an external agenda (GNOME Foundation fundraising)
>> without user consent, undermining user autonomy and Debian’s ethical
>> 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’s 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’s stewardship principles. The issue leaves no
>> remaining ambiguity and is a direct conflict between upstream agendas
>> and Debian’s values.
>>
>> Per Debian Constitution §6.1.4, I ask the TC to:
>> Overrule the maintainer’s 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’s 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
>
