Debian seeks volunteers to rebuild its data protection team

The Debian Project is asking for volunteers to step in after its Data Protection Team became inactive. All three members of the team stepped down at the same time, leaving no dedicated group to handle privacy and data protection work.

The announcement was posted to the Debian development announcements mailing list. Until new volunteers join, the responsibilities of the team sit with the Debian Project Leader, Andreas Tille.

The request is aimed at members of the open source community who have an interest in privacy, personal data handling, and related policy work.

The Data Protection Team was created in 2018, during a period when many open source projects were adjusting to new data protection rules in Europe. Its role focused on questions about personal data handled by Debian infrastructure and community processes.

The team served as a contact point for people outside the project who wanted to know what personal information Debian collects and how it is used. It also supported Debian contributors who needed guidance on data protection obligations tied to their work. Tasks included maintaining Debian’s public privacy policy and responding to data access or removal requests.

Those duties remain necessary for a project of Debian’s size. Debian operates mailing lists, bug trackers, build systems, and other services that involve contributor and user data. Oversight and coordination help keep those systems aligned with privacy expectations.

With the team empty, the work does not disappear. Andreas Tille now receives data protection requests directly. The announcement notes that this arrangement is temporary and depends on volunteers stepping forward.