On Fri, Jul 24, 2026 at 02:08:12PM -0300, Andrea Pappacoda wrote:
> On Fri Jul 24, 2026 at 12:25 PM -03, Ian Jackson wrote:
> > Summary: Reject LLMs (generative "AI") as far as practical
> > 
> > BACKGROUND
> > 
> > LLMs have many serious problems, including: undermining the mechanisms
> > of free software community building; environmental damage;
> > exploitation of authors; disruption to open web hosting by
> > aggressive scraping; generation and promulgation of bullshit;
> > polluting the information commons; hazards to users' mental health;
> > economic bubbles; distortion of the computer hardware market;
> > fraud; ownership by horrible people and companies; and so on.
> > Ethical and safe use of this technology is almost impossible.
> > 
> > Ideally, LLM output should not form any part of software that we rely
> > on, nor should LLM output ever take the place of human-written prose.
> > 
> > Unfortunately some of the wider software world, including many of our
> > upstreams, take a different view.  Therefore a complete ban on LLM
> > output as part of Debian is currently impractical.
> > 
> > REQUESTS
> > 
> > 1. We request that all contributors to Debian avoid the use of LLMs in
> >    their Debian work.
> > 
> > 2. We request that all decisionmakers within Debian discourage LLM use
> >    as much as practical.  Practicality is a judgement call and we
> >    recognise that it will involve uncomfortable compromises.
> > 
> > 3. We request that everyone, even outside Debian, should refrain from
> >    using this technology.  In particular, the Free Software and Open
> >    Source communities should reject LLMs.  We recognise that not
> >    everyone will heed this call.
> > 
> > REQUIREMENTS (SUPPLEMENT TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT)
> > 
> > 4. Within Debian, messages to humans (including for example bug
> >    reports, mailing list messages, discussions on Salsa, and blog
> >    posts on Planet Debian) must be drafted solely by humans without
> >    LLM assistance.
> > 
> > 5. Any use of LLMs for Debian work must be disclosed.
> > 
> > 6. Individual projects and maintainers may ban LLM contributions
> >    completely.  Such bans (including by upstream projects) must be
> >    respected.
> > 
> > 7. Violations of these requirements should be treated as violations of
> >    the Code of Conduct and should result in swift but proportionate
> >    disciplinary action.
> > 
> > 8. Any contributor who feels they cannot write in English without
> >    assistance, may write in their native language, and expect readers
> >    to use translation tools of their choice.  In that case a
> >    human-written English summary would be very welcome but is not
> >    required.  In any case we promise not to shame anyone for any
> >    linguistic mistakes.
> 
> Seconded.
> 

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Kurt

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