Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) published Progress information With Vizio, associated with the failure of the GPL license requirements when distributing firmware to smart TVs based on the SmartCast platform. Vizio did not express the desire to eliminate the violation of the GPL, did not go to negotiate the settlement of identified problems and did not try to prove that the prosecuted charges are erroneous and the modified GPL code is not used in the firmware. Instead, Vizio sent a request to the emergency court to stop the proceedings under the pretext that consumers are not beneficiaries and are not eligible to apply such claims.
Recall that the lawsuit nominated against Vizio is notable for being submitted not on behalf of the development member to which property rights belong to the code, but by the consumer who was not provided with the source texts of the components distributed under the GPL license. According to Vizio, in accordance with copyright legislation, only owners of property rights to the code have the authority to submit claims associated with a violation of the license to the code, and consumers cannot through the court to seek the provision of the source code, even if the manufacturer ignores the license requirements for this code. requirement About the termination of the case sent Vizio to the higher The US Federal Court without an attempt to settle the question in the court of California, which was originally sent Software Freedom Conservancy.
The lawsuit against Vizio was filed after three-year attempts to achieve the fulfillment of the requirements of the GPL license peacefully. GPL packages such as Linux, U-Boot, Bash, Gawk, GNU TAR, GLIBC, FFMPEG, Bluez, Busybox, Coretils, Glib, DNSMASQ, DirectFB, Libgcrypt and Systemd have been identified in the firmware of smart TVs Vizio. The ability to request the user’s source texts of the GPL components of the firmware, and the information materials did not mention the use of software under copy-licenses and licensed rights provided by licenses. The lawsuit did not provide for payment of monetary compensation, the SFC organization only requested the court to oblige a company to fulfill the GPL conditions in their products and inform consumers about the rights that provide a license kickworth.
Using in its products the code under the voice licenses Manufacturer to preserve Freedom software is obliged to provide source texts, including code of derivative work and installation instructions. Without such actions, the user loses control over software, cannot independently correct errors, add new features and remove unnecessary functionality. Amendments may be required to protect their confidentiality, eliminating problems with their own problems that refuse to eliminate the manufacturer, and extension of the life cycle of the device after the termination of its official support or artificial obsolescence to stimulate the purchase of a new model.