ORG supports Document Freedom Day

Today Open Rights Group is pleased to announce a partnership with Document Freedom Day 2012. Document Freedom Day (DFD) is an annual celebration of information accessibility and Open Standards, which are fundamental to citizen’s data security and privacy.

“Open Standards are vital for personal freedom, competition and the freedom for everyone to innovate”, says Jim Killock, ORG’s Executive Director. “Without them, we become victims of monopoly, price fixing and cartels”. “The Cabinet Office took some promising steps towards Open Standards, but the government has gone back on its word; real change is yet to come,” says Sam Tuke, FSFE’s UK coordinator. “We’re happy to join forces with ORG to push for Open Standards in the UK”.

Open Standards are a common language, publicly documented, that computer programs can speak. They are central to interoperability and freedom of choice in technology. Open Standards allow Free Software developers to create programs that can smoothly work together with other programs, so users can easily migrate between programs as they wish.

47 events in 17 countries are using demonstrations, street art, and workshops to explain why Open Standards and Free Software are crucial to a free and competitive information society. A network of 34 international partner organisations are carrying this message to new audiences, from Cairo to Argentina, Poland to Taiwan, and the European Parliament to Wales.

As a leading advocate of consumers’ digital rights in the UK, Open Rights Group works with organisations such as Document Freedom Day which share its goals.