Freedom Internet
Freedom Internet has been an independent Internet Service Provider (ISP) since 2020. Freedom hosts internet, telephony, television, and encrypted email services. Members may also register a domain name free of charge.[1]
The Dutch Consumentenbond reviewed them in September 2020 as 'secure non-profit internet'.[2]
History
Freedom ISP was established as a direct result of the discontinuation and consequent integration of the provider XS4ALL.
Until March 1st, 2020, XS4ALL was an independent subsidiary of Dutch ISP KPN. Freedom Internet started as an online petition [3] to maintain XS4ALL as an independent subsidiary.
When the parent company KPN did not change its plans to integrate XS4ALL, the organizers of the petition started planning a new ISP that would uphold the values represented by the XS4ALL brand.[4] As a result of the petition, KPN did decide to keep the XS4ALL brand name. The XS4ALL brand name continues to exist while the administrative and technical infrastructure will be fully integrated by early 2021.[5]
Administratively, all XS4ALL services have been provided by KPN since March 2020. Between the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, KPN will begin merging XS4ALL's technical infrastructure into its own.[6]
Several of Freedom's employees previously worked for XS4ALL.[7]
Organizational structure and corporate charter
Freedom Internet is structured as an independent company whose shares are owned by the Appeltaart foundation (stichting Appeltaart).[8]
The Appeltaart foundation was created with a series of checks and balances as described in its corporate charter.[9] Beyond representing ISP members, the Appeltaart foundation ensures transparency in matters such as hardware choices and public affairs. The foundation also has a veto power over any acquisitions by or from Freedom Internet, and organizes an annual members' meeting.
As part of its accountability to members and the Appeltaart foundation, Freedom Internet leases its domain from the independent digital rights organization Bits_of_Freedom Foundation.
If the domain reverts to Bits of Freedom, all members will still have access to their chosen domain and hosted emails.[10]
Freedom Internet uses open-source software wherever possible, and provides time and resources for employees to contribute to the Free and open-source software community.
When Freedom Internet makes a profit, the Appeltaart foundation acts as a fund to finance initiatives for innovative and/or social solutions related to the internet. [9]
The Appeltaart foundation's name is derived from the fact that bringing apple pie (Appeltaart in Dutch) was a special tradition at XS4ALL. Everyone who informed XS4ALL about a security breach received an apple pie as a thank you for acting ethically.[11]
Social involvement
Freedom Internet's commitment to civil rights and digital privacy is partially detailed in its corporate charter.[9]
In October 2020, Freedom Internet expressed support for The Privacy Collective in its lawsuit against tech companies Salesforce.com and Oracle Corporation.[12]
Also in October 2020, they hosted the website for the Dutch corona mobile application for the Dutch Ministry of Health using their hosting platform.[13] Previously, in 2020, Freedom Internet worked to ensure the Dutch Corona App's development was as transparent, secure, and privacy-conscious as possible.[14]
References
- ↑ "Domein registreren". Freedom.
- ↑ "Review: Freedom Internet internetprovider | Consumentenbond". www.consumentenbond.nl.
- ↑ "XS4ALL moet blijven". petities.nl.
- ↑ "Xs4all vecht voor Plan A en voor Plan B | Met welke Excel-sheet gaat Joost Farwerck z'n probleem oplossen? | Netkwesties". www.netkwesties.nl.
- ↑ "XS4ALL blijft na samenvoeging met KPN bestaan | XS4ALL Weblog".
- ↑ "DPG Media Privacy Gate". myprivacy.dpgmedia.nl.
- ↑ "Alle medewerkers". Freedom.
- ↑ "Stichting Appeltaart". Freedom. Archived from the original on 2020-11-16. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Corporate charter". Freedom.
- ↑ "Hoe maakt Freedom Internet beloftes waar?". www.computable.nl.
- ↑ Stil, Herman (November 11, 2019). "Actiegroep 'Xs4all moet blijven' start provider Freedom Internet". Het Parool.
- ↑ "Steun voor The Privacy Collective groeit hard". Freedom.
- ↑ "Freedom Internet verzorgt hosting coronamelder.nl". Freedom.
- ↑ "Bescherm onze gezondheid, maar bescherm ook onze rechten". Veilig Tegen Corona.
External links
This article "Freedom Internet" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Freedom Internet. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
