What's Up with FUTO?
6 months ago
- #FUTO
- #controversy
- #open-source
- FUTO is a new organization claiming to fund open source projects but uses the term 'open source' loosely for commercial source-available software.
- FUTO's website contains bizarre manifestos and has been criticized for misrepresenting 'open source' and promoting self-serving myths.
- FUTO's 'grant program' is misleading—they list notable open-source projects as grant recipients without proper authorization or significant funding.
- Examples include musl libc, ffmpeg, VLC, and others, where FUTO made small donations without following the projects' sponsorship processes.
- FUTO is associated with controversial figures, including Curtis Yarvin, a self-proclaimed fascist, and promotes his ideologies through interviews and debates.
- Louis Rossmann, a right-to-repair advocate, is linked to FUTO but has faced criticism for platforming Yarvin and associating with the organization.
- FUTO's actions include open-washing, misrepresenting donations as endorsements, and using project logos without permission to legitimize their brand.
- The organization is accused of promoting fascist ideologies and using its platform to spread authoritarian and anti-democratic views.