Probably shouldn't have called your product "open" if you didn't want this to happen. #openwashing
OpenAI says it has evidence China’s DeepSeek used its model to train competitor
https://www.ft.com/content/a0dfedd1-5255-4fa9-8ccc-1fe01de87ea6
https://www.ft.com/content/a0dfedd1-5255-4fa9-8ccc-1fe01de87ea6
OpenAI says it has evidence China’s DeepSeek used its model to train competitor
White House AI tsar David Sacks raises possibility of alleged intellectual property theft
www.ft.com
January 29, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Probably shouldn't have called your product "open" if you didn't want this to happen. #openwashing
Im IT-Bereich gibt es eine besondere Form des ‚Whitewashings‘, nämlich das ‚Openwashing‘. Der Begriff beschreibt Software, die sich als Open-Source-Produkt ausgibt, es aber nicht ist. Um festzustellen, ob Software, die man einsetzen möchte, frei ist oder nur so tut, hilft: isitreallyfoss.com/
April 22, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Im IT-Bereich gibt es eine besondere Form des ‚Whitewashings‘, nämlich das ‚Openwashing‘. Der Begriff beschreibt Software, die sich als Open-Source-Produkt ausgibt, es aber nicht ist. Um festzustellen, ob Software, die man einsetzen möchte, frei ist oder nur so tut, hilft: isitreallyfoss.com/
Classic openwashing!
📢NEW: 'Open' AI systems aren't open. The vague term, combined w frothy AI hype is (mis)shaping policy & practice, assuming 'open source' AI democratizes access & addresses power concentration. It doesn't.
@smw.bsky.social, @davidthewid.bsky.social & I correct the record👇
nature.com/articles/s41...
@smw.bsky.social, @davidthewid.bsky.social & I correct the record👇
nature.com/articles/s41...
Why ‘open’ AI systems are actually closed, and why this matters - Nature
A review of the literature on artificial intelligence systems to examine openness reveals that open AI systems are actually closed, as they are highly dependent on the resources of a few large corpora...
nature.com
December 2, 2024 at 10:54 PM
Classic openwashing!
About that... we audited the open source status of Lumo and found it came in rock bottom in the EU Open Source AI Index osai-index.eu/news/lumo-pr... — consider sharing more details to rise through the openness ranks, @proton.me 🫣
#OpenSource #OpenWashing #lumo
#OpenSource #OpenWashing #lumo
Introducing Lumo, a privacy-first AI built by Proton, where every conversation is confidential
✅ Zero-access encryption
✅ No-logs policy
✅ Open-source and auditable
Try @asklumo.proton.me for free, no sign-up required: lumo.proton.me
✅ Zero-access encryption
✅ No-logs policy
✅ Open-source and auditable
Try @asklumo.proton.me for free, no sign-up required: lumo.proton.me
August 29, 2025 at 8:40 PM
About that... we audited the open source status of Lumo and found it came in rock bottom in the EU Open Source AI Index osai-index.eu/news/lumo-pr... — consider sharing more details to rise through the openness ranks, @proton.me 🫣
#OpenSource #OpenWashing #lumo
#OpenSource #OpenWashing #lumo
This was always going to happen. So many researchers predicted this and no one listened. AI/genAI is a money-making enterprise, full stop. Everything else is false altruism and openwashing.
September 25, 2024 at 10:06 PM
This was always going to happen. So many researchers predicted this and no one listened. AI/genAI is a money-making enterprise, full stop. Everything else is false altruism and openwashing.
Since the topic came up in the whole "I run models locally so it's all fine" conversation:
"Open Source AI" does not meaningfully exist. It's just openwashing proprietary shit
tante.cc/2024/10/16/d...
"Open Source AI" does not meaningfully exist. It's just openwashing proprietary shit
tante.cc/2024/10/16/d...
Does Open Source AI really exist?
The OSI has presented their definition of Open Source AI and a closer reading only shows that "Open Source AI" probably just isn't a thing that can exist.
tante.cc
February 21, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Since the topic came up in the whole "I run models locally so it's all fine" conversation:
"Open Source AI" does not meaningfully exist. It's just openwashing proprietary shit
tante.cc/2024/10/16/d...
"Open Source AI" does not meaningfully exist. It's just openwashing proprietary shit
tante.cc/2024/10/16/d...
We need more critique like this:"He uses a so-called “#opensource LLM” & that’s very much how he presents his values but OSS LLMs do not really exist. You can download some weights but cannot understand what went into them or really change or reproduce.. OSS AI is just marketing & openwashing"
I was disappointed to read Cory Doctorow's post where he got weirdly defensive about his LLM use and started arguing with an imaginary foe.
@tante.cc has a very thoughtful reply here:
tante.cc/2026/02/20/a...
A few further comments, 🧵>>
@tante.cc has a very thoughtful reply here:
tante.cc/2026/02/20/a...
A few further comments, 🧵>>
Acting ethically in an imperfect world
Life is complicated. Regardless of what your beliefs or politics or ethics are, the way that we set up our society and economy will often force you to act against them: You might not want to fly somew...
tante.cc
February 21, 2026 at 4:18 AM
We need more critique like this:"He uses a so-called “#opensource LLM” & that’s very much how he presents his values but OSS LLMs do not really exist. You can download some weights but cannot understand what went into them or really change or reproduce.. OSS AI is just marketing & openwashing"
𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐈 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲
In his new Accountability Keywords blog, Tiago C. Peixoto reflects on openwashing in the age of AI. He reveals a “dangerous failure mode”, and puts forward three implications for AI for accountability.
bit.ly/4mCS9rf
In his new Accountability Keywords blog, Tiago C. Peixoto reflects on openwashing in the age of AI. He reveals a “dangerous failure mode”, and puts forward three implications for AI for accountability.
bit.ly/4mCS9rf
Openwashing by Architecture: How AI Reveals Budget Opacity - Accountability Research Center
What does openwashing look like in the age of AI? Tiago C. Peixoto reflects on processing open government budget data using AI.
bit.ly
April 27, 2026 at 11:05 AM
𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐈 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲
In his new Accountability Keywords blog, Tiago C. Peixoto reflects on openwashing in the age of AI. He reveals a “dangerous failure mode”, and puts forward three implications for AI for accountability.
bit.ly/4mCS9rf
In his new Accountability Keywords blog, Tiago C. Peixoto reflects on openwashing in the age of AI. He reveals a “dangerous failure mode”, and puts forward three implications for AI for accountability.
bit.ly/4mCS9rf
Starting with product testimonials ("This was a _great_ experience. It was a great _AI_ experience") and openwashing ("The fact that Whisper is open-source means that it can be maintained forever...no matter what happens to Whisper's manufacturer"). Why am I doing this to myself
August 27, 2026 at 9:23 PM
Starting with product testimonials ("This was a _great_ experience. It was a great _AI_ experience") and openwashing ("The fact that Whisper is open-source means that it can be maintained forever...no matter what happens to Whisper's manufacturer"). Why am I doing this to myself
Openwashing
open.substack.com/pub/markwebs...
open.substack.com/pub/markwebs...
Openwashing
Many of you who have been following my work since the beginning will know that I have a strong affiliation with open source and have been teaching creative coding for over fourteen years.
open.substack.com
July 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Openwashing
open.substack.com/pub/markwebs...
open.substack.com/pub/markwebs...
If millions of citizens can now query budget data through AI agents, and the data systematically undercounts by a factor of five, the result is not accountability at scale. It is misinformation at scale accountabilityresearch.org/openwashing-...
Openwashing by Architecture: How AI Reveals Budget Opacity - Accountability Research Center
What does openwashing look like in the age of AI? Tiago C. Peixoto reflects on processing open government budget data using AI.
accountabilityresearch.org
May 5, 2026 at 9:11 AM
If millions of citizens can now query budget data through AI agents, and the data systematically undercounts by a factor of five, the result is not accountability at scale. It is misinformation at scale accountabilityresearch.org/openwashing-...
#Open #Washing ever heard of this evil practice damaging our open source world. Do read our #blog and spread the message, repost, boost.
os-sci.com/blog/our-blo...
#openwashing #foss #floss #opensource
os-sci.com/blog/our-blo...
#openwashing #foss #floss #opensource
November 26, 2024 at 2:06 PM
#Open #Washing ever heard of this evil practice damaging our open source world. Do read our #blog and spread the message, repost, boost.
os-sci.com/blog/our-blo...
#openwashing #foss #floss #opensource
os-sci.com/blog/our-blo...
#openwashing #foss #floss #opensource
I like that Scylla is at least honest about becoming proprietary here. So much openwashing of these kinds of license changes these days.
Also, nothing makes me feel better about choosing the boring option (Postgres) than every single one of these projects eventually doing rugpulls like this.
Also, nothing makes me feel better about choosing the boring option (Postgres) than every single one of these projects eventually doing rugpulls like this.
December 20, 2024 at 11:25 PM
I like that Scylla is at least honest about becoming proprietary here. So much openwashing of these kinds of license changes these days.
Also, nothing makes me feel better about choosing the boring option (Postgres) than every single one of these projects eventually doing rugpulls like this.
Also, nothing makes me feel better about choosing the boring option (Postgres) than every single one of these projects eventually doing rugpulls like this.
1. Philip Morris International is openwashing their seminar series by literally naming it "Open Science" — even though the series itself has little or nothing to do with open science or open science practices.
Let's talk about it.
www.pmiscience.com/en/news-even...
Let's talk about it.
www.pmiscience.com/en/news-even...
November 8, 2024 at 8:41 PM
1. Philip Morris International is openwashing their seminar series by literally naming it "Open Science" — even though the series itself has little or nothing to do with open science or open science practices.
Let's talk about it.
www.pmiscience.com/en/news-even...
Let's talk about it.
www.pmiscience.com/en/news-even...
Props to @jenniad.bsky.social for raising a question at @openresshef.bsky.social #OpenFest24 on 'Openwashing'
'Openwashing (where organisations/businesses pay lip service to open research while not really meaning it'.
That's not a term I have heard before but totally get it.
'Openwashing (where organisations/businesses pay lip service to open research while not really meaning it'.
That's not a term I have heard before but totally get it.
September 11, 2024 at 1:57 PM
Props to @jenniad.bsky.social for raising a question at @openresshef.bsky.social #OpenFest24 on 'Openwashing'
'Openwashing (where organisations/businesses pay lip service to open research while not really meaning it'.
That's not a term I have heard before but totally get it.
'Openwashing (where organisations/businesses pay lip service to open research while not really meaning it'.
That's not a term I have heard before but totally get it.
I like “white-collar QRP”! Also reminds me of “openwashing” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Openwas...
I get that even this tick-box transparency might viewed positively, but I do love Berna’s point on this…
I get that even this tick-box transparency might viewed positively, but I do love Berna’s point on this…
It's a weird framing to me. We don't know of this issue thanks to preregistration; the issue exists because of preregistration. But sure, let's have all kinds of tools and let's be honest about how they work or not instead of turning them into inevitable, sacred objects.
May 31, 2024 at 7:24 AM
I like “white-collar QRP”! Also reminds me of “openwashing” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Openwas...
I get that even this tick-box transparency might viewed positively, but I do love Berna’s point on this…
I get that even this tick-box transparency might viewed positively, but I do love Berna’s point on this…
UPDATES ON THE COLORS:
- Laborwashing (red)
- Openwashing (orange) (Thanks @ethicsofai.bsky.social!!)
- Memewashing (yellow)
- Greenwashing
- Accessibilitywashing (cyan) (Thanks again Soerjadi!)
- Ethicswashing / Philosophywashing (blue) (Philosophywashing
fellowesin.neocities.org/turing/criti...
- Laborwashing (red)
- Openwashing (orange) (Thanks @ethicsofai.bsky.social!!)
- Memewashing (yellow)
- Greenwashing
- Accessibilitywashing (cyan) (Thanks again Soerjadi!)
- Ethicswashing / Philosophywashing (blue) (Philosophywashing
fellowesin.neocities.org/turing/criti...
The Critical Washing Rainbow - /turing - Esin's Neocities
fellowesin.neocities.org
August 10, 2026 at 12:44 PM
UPDATES ON THE COLORS:
- Laborwashing (red)
- Openwashing (orange) (Thanks @ethicsofai.bsky.social!!)
- Memewashing (yellow)
- Greenwashing
- Accessibilitywashing (cyan) (Thanks again Soerjadi!)
- Ethicswashing / Philosophywashing (blue) (Philosophywashing
fellowesin.neocities.org/turing/criti...
- Laborwashing (red)
- Openwashing (orange) (Thanks @ethicsofai.bsky.social!!)
- Memewashing (yellow)
- Greenwashing
- Accessibilitywashing (cyan) (Thanks again Soerjadi!)
- Ethicswashing / Philosophywashing (blue) (Philosophywashing
fellowesin.neocities.org/turing/criti...
But "taking a stand" without taking a stand is "open model washing" the way "openwashing" has been a problem for open source.
I'm not claiming malice, the point I'm making probably wasn't considered. But if you're going to take a stand for open models etc as part of the future, take a stand for it
I'm not claiming malice, the point I'm making probably wasn't considered. But if you're going to take a stand for open models etc as part of the future, take a stand for it
March 31, 2026 at 4:42 PM
But "taking a stand" without taking a stand is "open model washing" the way "openwashing" has been a problem for open source.
I'm not claiming malice, the point I'm making probably wasn't considered. But if you're going to take a stand for open models etc as part of the future, take a stand for it
I'm not claiming malice, the point I'm making probably wasn't considered. But if you're going to take a stand for open models etc as part of the future, take a stand for it
What's happening with Bambu is what could happen with any close source company. That's why open source will not die anytime soon.
It's interesting to see how many messages we have today, but so few when Prusa was doing openwashing for years (and still do) and has now moved to close source.
It's interesting to see how many messages we have today, but so few when Prusa was doing openwashing for years (and still do) and has now moved to close source.
January 19, 2025 at 4:47 PM
What's happening with Bambu is what could happen with any close source company. That's why open source will not die anytime soon.
It's interesting to see how many messages we have today, but so few when Prusa was doing openwashing for years (and still do) and has now moved to close source.
It's interesting to see how many messages we have today, but so few when Prusa was doing openwashing for years (and still do) and has now moved to close source.
Was ist #Openwashing? Warum unterminiert es digitale Souveränität? Im Podcast @engineeringkiosk.dev zeigt @johasjaguar.bsky.social die Tricks der Openwasher und wie wir #FreieSoftware schützen können.
Hier geht's zur Folge: engineeringkiosk.dev/episodes/274
#FreeSoftware #OpenSource #PublicCode
Hier geht's zur Folge: engineeringkiosk.dev/episodes/274
#FreeSoftware #OpenSource #PublicCode
July 1, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Was ist #Openwashing? Warum unterminiert es digitale Souveränität? Im Podcast @engineeringkiosk.dev zeigt @johasjaguar.bsky.social die Tricks der Openwasher und wie wir #FreieSoftware schützen können.
Hier geht's zur Folge: engineeringkiosk.dev/episodes/274
#FreeSoftware #OpenSource #PublicCode
Hier geht's zur Folge: engineeringkiosk.dev/episodes/274
#FreeSoftware #OpenSource #PublicCode
one reason could be "openwashing" an app, where builders try to lift on the open atproto brand, but actually keep everything/most private (or hidden)
July 20, 2026 at 7:45 PM
one reason could be "openwashing" an app, where builders try to lift on the open atproto brand, but actually keep everything/most private (or hidden)