Electronics are popular gifts for the holidays, but people often overlook the restrictions that manufacturers slip under the wrapping paper. From remote deletion of files to harsh rules about copying and sharing, some gifts almost take more than they give. The good news is that there are ethical companies making better devices that your loved ones can enjoy with freedom and privacy. Here's a list of these smarter gifts, compared with their more well-known, but more restrictive alternatives.
Like this guide? Organize a Giving Guide Giveaway to share it with the masses. And remember: donating to a charity in your friend or family member's name (see our recommendations below) is at least as meaningful as buying them an electronic device.
Great for all-free-software installations on laptops with incompatible Wi-Fi hardware. Certified to Respects Your Freedom.
High speed wireless router running FSF-endorsed LibreCMC operating system. Certified to Respects Your Freedom.
Electronic Frontier Foundation, Creative Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, Software Freedom Conservancy, Software Freedom Law Center, GNOME Foundation and Free Software Foundation.
If you have ideas for more gifts that can be given freely, submit your recommendations to our growing page.
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ThinkPenguin with GNU by FSF is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.
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The iOS logo is a registered trademark.
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The Google Drive logo is public domain but may be subject to trademark laws.
The Media Goblin graphic is public domain.
The YouTube logo is public domain but may be subject to trademark laws.