As an active contributor to open source projects, I therefore call for open source work to be recognized as voluntary work for the common good - on a par with club work, youth work or rescue services.
Petition: Recognition of open source work as voluntary work in Germany
Today, open source software forms the foundation of large parts of the digital infrastructure - in administration, business, research and everyday life. Even the German government 's current coalition agreement mentions open source software as a fundamental building block for achieving digital sovereignty.
Nevertheless, the work that thousands of volunteers do for this purpose is not recognized as voluntary work in Germany under tax and funding law. This imbalance between social importance and legal status needs to be corrected.
On the page of the petition "Recognition of open source work as voluntary work in Germany" you will find the exact reason for the petition and lots of great comments from open source users and developers. Please sign and share the petition.
Thank you very much!
Boris Hinzer
Current reports
The following media outlets are currently reporting on the petition and I would like to thank them for their support:
- Cashy's Blog: "Open source work as an honorary position: Petition wants legal recognition"
- Linuxnews: "Petition: Recognize open source work as an honorary position"
- Heise: "Open source developers demand equality with association work"
- Reddit: "Open source developers demand equality with club work"
- ComputerBase: "Petition: Open source work should be recognized as an honorary position"
- Winfuture "Strengthening open source work: Petition calls for recognition as an honorary position"
- Reddit English "Petition: Open-source work should count as volunteer activity"
- Mikrocontroller.net "Petition: Open-source work should count as volunteeractivity"