The proposed Product Liability Directive analyse potential liabilities for Open Source developers and how this directive could change the landscape of Open Source software usage and development.
The proposed Product Liability Directive could introduce potential liabilities for Open Source developers, fundamentally altering the landscape of Open Source software. Developers could be held liable for damages caused by defects in their software, raising concerns about personal and financial risks.
Here are some articles we’ve read on the subject:
- The New Product Liability Directive: Software as a Product : The article seeks to demonstrate why to reform the old Product Liability Directive, as well as presenting an overview of the extension of the product definition to cover software (with an exemption granted to open source software).
- The EU’s Product Liability Directive could kill open source: The article brings perspectives on how EU policies can be seen as ambiguous towards the open source community, which can eventually bring more harm than good. The biggest point of discussion and controversy being the notion of commercial activity.
What do you think of what’s been mentioned in these articles? Do you have any articles or studies you would like to share? Feel free to contribute to this discussion, whether to add information, share experiences or ask questions.