Session: Open Source and Public Policy
New regulations in the software industry and adjacent areas such as AI, open science, open data, and open education are on the rise around the world. Cyber Security, societal impact of AI, data and privacy are paramount issues for legislators globally. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic drove collaborative development to unprecedented levels and took Open Source software, open research, open content and data from mainstream to main stage, creating tension between public benefit and citizen safety and security as legislators struggle to find a balance between open collaboration and protecting citizens.
Historically, the open source software community and foundations supporting its work have not engaged in policy discussions. Moving forward, thoughtful development of these important public policies whilst not harming our complex ecosystems requires an understanding of how our ecosystem operates. Ensuring stakeholders without historic benefit of representation in those discussions becomes paramount to that end.
Please join our open discussion with open policy stakeholders working constructively on current open policy topics. Our panelists will provide a view into how oss foundations and other open domain allies are now rising to this new challenge as well as seizing the opportunity to influence positive changes to the public’s benefit.
Topics: Public Policy, Open Science, Open Education, current legislation in the US and EU, US interest in OSS sustainability, intro to the Open Policy Alliance
