I asked fsf.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject google aspatronage.
Can I get fsf'spolicy on this?
Money can smell. Canmoney smell that much, that you should not receive
it?
Fsf resents howgoogle generates money by surveillance and selling the
gatheredinformation. How does fsf explain that it is acceptable to
receivegoogle funds?
Fsf answered.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for your concern. You will note at the top of
https://fsf.org/patrons that we don't endorse the activities of our
patrons. Additionally, benefits for FSF patrons are very limited: we
don't give companies who donate to us anything in exchange other than an
appropriate level of public thanks - you can read all of the things we
offer in exchange for patronage here https://www.fsf.org/patrons/benefits.
The FSF is a charity. No charity would survive if we audited where all
donated money comes from. Members who are employed by Google, Microsoft,
and other companies give us a lot of money, as well. We need resources
in order to change the world -- when we accept funding from a patron, we
believe we are turning that funding in to good actions. When a patron
gives us money, we know that money is not being reinvested in the
company's other work.
We do have to be careful not to become dependent on funding from sources
that also do things opposed to our work. But Google donates less than 5%
of our budget, so if they get upset at something
we do and take away their funding, we will not suffer too badly
financially. Most of our funding comes from individuals, and we are very
glad about that.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I continue to think, that google money smells to much and fsf should not
receive it. It could be a matter of culture. Some posts here are alike and
maybe written by americans. Could be americans have lower standards about
smelly money.
