Editing Free software movement (section)

== Legislation and government ==
A lot of lobbying work has been done against [[software patent]]s and expansions of [[Copyright|copyright law]]. Other lobbying focuses directly on the use of free software by government agencies and government-funded projects.

=== Asia ===

==== China ====
In June 1997, the Society for Study, Application, and Development of Free Software was established under the [[China Software Industry Association]] in Beijing. Through this organization, the website freesoft.cei.gov.cn was developed, though the website is currently inaccessible on IP addresses located in the United States. The use of open-source software [[Linux]] in China has moved beyond government and educational institutions and has extended to other organizations such as financial institutions, telecommunications, and public security. Several Chinese researchers and scholars have claimed that the existence of FOSS in China has been important in challenging the presence of [[Microsoft]], which Guangnan Ni, a member of the [[Chinese Academy of Engineering]] stated, "The monopoly of (Microsoft Windows) is even more powerful in China than other places in the world".<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal |title=Against Intellectual Monopoly: Free Software in China |jstor=41917739 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41917739 |url-status=live |last1=Zhou |first1=Yi |journal=World Review of Political Economy |year=2011 |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=290–306 |access-date=2023-04-07 |archive-date=2023-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407192053/https://www.jstor.org/stable/41917739 }}</ref> Yi Zhou, a professor of mathematics at [[Fudan University]], has also alleged that, "Government procurement of FLOSS for a number of years in China has compelled Microsoft to cut its prices of Office software substantially" <ref name="auto"/>

==== India ====
Government of India had issued Policy on Adoption of Open Source Software for Government of India in 2015 to drive uptake within the government. With the vision to transform India as a Software Product Nation, National Policy on Software Products-2019 was approved by the Government.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge |url=https://innovateindia.mygov.in/foss4gov-innovation-challenge/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-08-27 |archive-date=2021-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827062916/https://innovateindia.mygov.in/foss4gov-innovation-challenge/ }}</ref>

====Pakistan====

Free and Open Source Software (Foss) is crucial for countries such as Pakistan which is set up by Union of Information Technology.  For the case of Pakistan, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) aids in the creation and advocate of FOSS usage in various government departments in addition to curbing illegality of copying that is software piracy. Promotion of adoption of FOSS is essential however it comes with problems of proprietary anti competition software practices including indulging in bribing and corruption by government departments. Pakistan works on the introduction  of usage of open type  basis of source Solutions in the curricula  in schools and colleges. This is because of FOSS uniqueness in terms of political, democratic and social varieties of aspect regarding  information communication and technology.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rehman |first=Ata |date=July 2017 |title=Free and Open Source Software Movement in LIS Profession in Pakistan |url=https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/852/ |journal=University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Digital Commons  |access-date=2023-04-08 |archive-date=2023-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408150248/https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/852/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 
<!-- === Africa === -->

=== North America ===

==== United States ====
In the United States, there have been efforts to pass legislation at the state level encouraging the use of free software by state government agencies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/open-sources-new-weapon-the-law/|title=Open source's new weapon: The law?|website=CNET|access-date=2023-03-16|archive-date=2023-03-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316221116/https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/open-sources-new-weapon-the-law/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On January 11, 2022, two bills were shown on the New Hampshire legislating floor. The first bill called "HB 1273" was introduced by Democratic New Hampshire representative Eric Gallager, the bill prioritized "replacing proprietary software used by state agencies with free software." Gallager stated that to an extent, the proposed legislation will help distinguish "free software" and "open-source software", this will also put these two into state regulation. The second bill called "HB 1581" was proposed by Grafton Republican representative Lex Berezhny. The bill would've restored a requisite forcing "state agencies to use proprietary software" and as Lex put it, "when it is the most effective solution." He also said that requisite was happening between 2012 and 2018. According to the Concord Monitor, the state of New Hampshire had an already  "thriving open source software community" with a view of "live free or die" but they had difficulty getting that notion with the state.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lots of recycled arguments when the legislature debates open source software |url=https://www.concordmonitor.com/open-software-nh-new-hampshire-44505163 |website=Concord Monitor |access-date=2023-04-09 |archive-date=2023-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409184759/https://www.concordmonitor.com/open-software-nh-new-hampshire-44505163 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== South America ===

==== Peru ====
Congressmen [[Edgar David Villanueva]] and Jacques Rodrich Ackerman have been instrumental in introducing free software in [[Peru]], with bill 1609 on "Free Software in Public Administration".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Free_Software_in_Public_Agencies|title=An English translation of the Free Software bill proposed in Peru|access-date=2007-05-10|archive-date=2010-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204201527/http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Free_Software_in_Public_Agencies|url-status=live}}</ref> The incident invited the attention of [[Microsoft]], Peru, whose general manager wrote a letter to Villanueva. His response received worldwide attention and is seen as a classic piece of argumentation favouring use of free software in governments.<ref>{{cite web|title=Peruvian Congressman Edgar Villanueva writing to Microsoft about free software.|url=http://www.gnu.org.pe/resmseng.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829215908/http://www.gnu.org.pe/resmseng.html|archive-date=2007-08-29}}</ref>

==== Uruguay ====
Uruguay has a sanctioned law requiring that the state give priority to free software. It also requires that information be exchanged in [[open formats]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Free_Software_in_Government#Uruguay|title=Group:Free Software in Government|website=libreplanet.org|access-date=2019-05-09|archive-date=2020-10-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023002248/https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Free_Software_in_Government#Uruguay|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Venezuela ====
The [[Government of Venezuela]] implemented a free software law in January 2006. Decree No. 3,390 mandated all government agencies to migrate to free software over a two-year period.<ref>{{cite web|date=2006-02-08|title=Free software liberates Venezuela|url=http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/professional_services_venezuela/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214841/http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/professional_services_venezuela/|archive-date=2016-03-03|access-date=2007-03-16|publisher=[[Free Software Magazine]] n°10}}</ref>

=== Europe ===
Publiccode.eu is a campaign launched demanding a legislation requiring that publicly financed software developed for the public sector be made publicly available under a Free and Open Source Software licence. If it is public money, it should be public code as well.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Public Money? Public Code! |url=https://publiccode.eu/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-08-27 |archive-date=2020-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219184118/https://publiccode.eu/ }}</ref>

==== France ====
The [[French Gendarmerie]] and the [[French National Assembly]] utilize the [[open source]] operating system [[Linux]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-02-27|title=AFP: French police deal blow to Microsoft|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iU4Lq7tOR_WVOJLZ3IeRaIH03x6w?hl=en|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227230123/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iU4Lq7tOR_WVOJLZ3IeRaIH03x6w?hl=en|archive-date=2014-02-27|access-date=2019-05-12}}</ref>

==== United Kingdom ====
[[Gov.uk]] keeps a list of "key components, tools and services that have gone into the construction of GOV.UK".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Colophon for GOV.UK at launch &#124; Government Digital Service|url=https://gds.blog.gov.uk/govuk-launch-colophon/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141116114020/https://gds.blog.gov.uk/govuk-launch-colophon/|archive-date=2014-11-16|access-date=2014-11-16}}</ref>{{sup|[''{{tooltip|title needed|This reference contains a placeholder title. Please replace it with the actual title of the work referenced. (April 2021)}}'']}}