---
title: "Free-software concerns with Europe's radio directive (LWN.net)"
date: 2017-05-10
categories:
  - english
  - article
tags:
  - RadioLockdown
  - FSFE
  - FSFE
article:
  name: LWN.net
  href: https://lwn.net/Articles/722197/
---

Jake Edge from LWN.net wrote a comprehensive article covering my presentation at the 2017 Free Software Legal and Licensing Workshop about the EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED). The article detailed the concerns around Article 3(3)(i) of the directive, which requires manufacturers to ensure that only "compliant" software can be loaded onto radio equipment. This seemingly technical requirement threatened to mandate device lockdown across a huge range of consumer electronics containing radio transmitters.

The LWN article explained how RED could affect everything from WiFi-enabled laptops to smartphones, routers, and IoT devices. It outlined the various actors involved -- from the European Commission and ETSI (responsible for updating standards) to EU member states tasked with implementation -- and the unclear timeline for when these requirements would actually take effect. The piece also covered the FSFE's response, including our Joint Statement against Radio Lockdown signed by 48 organizations and our efforts to join the expert group on reconfigurable radio systems to help shape device classifications.

The article sparked significant discussion in the comments, with readers debating whether the directive's goals (preventing radio interference) justified the means (potential complete software lockdown), whether manufacturers or users should bear responsibility for compliance, and how the requirements compared to other safety regulations. The coverage helped raise awareness beyond the immediate Free and Open Source Software community about how radio regulations could fundamentally impact users' ability to control their own computing devices.
