Apparently in the past day, they’ve removed all the logos from the Microgrants projects and clarified that the grants are unsolicited

  • frongt@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    61
    ·
    2 days ago

    They weren’t even grants. They just donated money and said “look we’re sponsoring them!”, implying a relationship. As mentioned in that article, musl and ffmpeg (and probably everyone) didn’t even know FUTO was doing this.

    • lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      6 hours ago

      look we’re sponsoring them

      spon·sor

      verb

      1. provide funds for (a project or activity or the person carrying it out).

      My disapproval of FUTO notwithstanding, that is the dictionary definition.

      I never looked at those “we sponsor/donated to” sections on organization pages as implying a relationship of reciprocal approval. Are idiots online thinking that?

      Anyone should be able to assert “X gave Y money” when that’s true. Taking money from people we disagree with shouldn’t be a problem: less money for them, more for us. Do we want them to spend on shit we definitely disapprove of?

      • frongt@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        4 hours ago

        By that dictionary definition, yes, but there’s a connotation of scale and a relationship. For example, your local arts events are often sponsored by local businesses and philanthropists, but if you or I donate $10 I wouldn’t call that a sponsorship.

        • lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          2 hours ago

          your local arts events are often sponsored by local businesses and philanthropists

          Do you or they necessarily approve of those businesses? Is that implied?

          but if you or I donate $10 I wouldn’t call that a sponsorship

          Then are people getting carried away with their imaginations? When I see a “we sponsor” section with logos/names, I don’t assume a substantial amount: could be token for all I know. Quibbling over that when it’s true feels like arguing over inconsequential merit badges.

          Donation recipients should be able to take money from donors who should be able to declare that truth.