Exploring the Open Source Landscape through WordPress

Paris Marx is joined by tante to discuss troubling developments in the open source world as Wordpress goes to war with WP Engine and a new definition of open source AI doesn’t require being open about training data.

tante is a sociotechnologist, writer, speaker, and Luddite working on tech and its social impact.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.

The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry.

Also mentioned in this episode:

• tante wrote about the problem with the Open Source Initiative’s definition of open source AI.
• Check out this link for the full breakdown on the Wordpress drama.
• Wordpress changed its trademark guidelines on September 19 regarding the use of the WP abbreviation.
• Tumblr and Wordpress started selling user data for AI training earlier this year.
• A lot of the controversy around Richard Stallman started blowing up in 2019.

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