Linux Kernel Compliance Confusion

> On Fri, 18 Oct 2024, Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote: > > Remove some entries due to various compliance requirements. They > > can come back in the future if sufficient documentation is > > provided. > This is very vague... We finally got clearance to publish the actual advice: If your company is on the U.S. OFAC SDN lists, subject to an OFAC sanctions program, or owned/controlled by a company on the list, our ability to collaborate with you will be subject to restrictions, and you cannot be in the MAINTAINERS file. > What are "various compliance requirements"? > What does "sufficient documentation" mean? The documentation Greg is looking for (which a group of Lawyers at the LF will verify) is that someone in the removed list doesn't actually work for an OFAC SDN sanctioned entity. > I can guess, but I think it's better to spell out the rules, as Linux > > kernel development is done "in the open". I am also afraid this is > > opening the door for further (ab)use... I agree we should have been more transparent about this but I think it would be hard for someone other than Greg to get a Maintainer removed on the "compliance issue" grounds so it's probably not that open to abuse.

A screenshot of a Linux kernel mailing-list discussion shows Greg Kroah-Hartman explaining that maintainers may be removed because of OFAC sanctions and compliance requirements. The vague wording triggers questions about what documentation is needed, while another participant worries that opaque rules could enable abuse. The joke is aimed at the absurdly bureaucratic and secretive explanation of an open-source governance decision. EN: A screenshot of a Linux kernel mailing-list discussion shows Greg Kroah-Hartman explaining that maintainers may be removed because of OFAC sanctions and compliance requirements. The vague wording triggers questions about what documentation is needed, while another participant worries that opaque rules could enable abuse. The joke is aimed at the absurdly bureaucratic and secretive explanation of an open-source governance decision.

• @ithueti / 14375 2024-10-25