Copy for the original initial post (as this is likely to have issues):
- https://archive.is/ITg1h
- http://web.archive.org/web/20221017004241/https://community.openstreetmap.org/t/humanitarian-openstreetmap-team-united-states-inc-claimed-ownership-over-community-openstreetnap-org-ref-brazilian-forum-at-2022-02-03-by-carla-habit/4199
- (this one also saves the external links for a very long term).
This company already has the expertise to colonize local existing organizations, such as the case of what happened in the Philippines (here link https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/images/a/aa/A_Call_to_Correct_Narratives_about_Geospatial_Work.pdf). But now with so much money, far beyond the OSF Foundation itself, it’s clearly trying to present itself as the role of the OSM Foundation also in Latin America. They’re not doing any hard work, just saying they’re doing it by paying people without actual experience.
I do understand there exists other companies which do business with OSM data, but not as far as doing business by saying they’re representing everyone’s while even the wiki which talks about Organized editing (link Organised Editing/Activities - OpenStreetMap Wiki) there’s clear complaints about low quality and quantity over quality (to quote: Many unreviewed edits, often very low quality, focusing on statistics, volume of edits and fundraising over improving map. Not all edits made as part of their organised editing was ever reviewed by anyone from HOT, and many reviews ignored very clear issues.)
We come to a point where (even if for total coincidence, not any sort of unspoken agenda) the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team United States Inc could simply colonize not just Latin America, but the entire OpenStreetMap Foundation to be free to use the trademark. It’s like the Europe (including hard work of several multinational companies) being colonized.
We have a slang here in Brazil: the last to quit, please turn off the lights.