SFC vs. VIZIO: who can enforce the GPL?
9 days ago
- #Open Source
- #GPL
- #Legal
- The Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) is suing VIZIO for not providing complete source code for GPL-licensed software in its smart TVs.
- SFC is suing as a TV owner, not a copyright holder, raising legal questions about who can enforce the GPL.
- The case could establish that GPL enforcement can be a matter of contract law, not just copyright law.
- VIZIO provided incomplete and non-compilable source code, leading to the lawsuit.
- The lawsuit argues that SFC is a 'third-party beneficiary' of the GPL, intended to benefit users.
- If SFC wins, it could set a precedent allowing product owners to sue for GPL compliance.
- The trial is scheduled for January 12, with potential implications for GPL enforcement in the US.
- Judge Leal's tentative rulings suggest VIZIO has a contractual duty to provide complete source code.
- The outcome could influence future GPL enforcement cases, even if it's not binding precedent outside California.