Panelist

John Sullivan, executive director of the Free Software Foundation, defined the four essential freedoms that characterize free software: the freedom to run, study, modify, and distribute software. He argued that free software creates a shared knowledge base that amplifies collective innovation, with the GNU General Public License using copyright law as a tool to promote sharing rather than restrict it.

Sullivan warned that proprietary layers built on top of free software can effectively negate user freedoms, creating new forms of technological control. He raised particular concerns about implanted medical devices running proprietary code, where patients cannot inspect or modify the software governing their own bodies. His presentation connected Wiener's concerns about technology and human autonomy to the concrete, contemporary politics of software licensing and digital rights.