Much of the technology we rely on every day is built on code most of us will never see, by people we’ll probably never meet. Thousands of libraries, packages and projects quietly underpin modern software, from Linux and PHP to platforms like WordPress. That’s the power of open source.
Code for the People traces open source from its early, scrappy days through to the AI era. It explores what’s at stake as more of our digital lives move onto closed platforms and proprietary AI models.
When technology is controlled by a handful of companies, users lose ownership, transparency and, ultimately, choice. Open source offers a different path, one built on collaboration, freedom and the ability for anyone to inspect, improve and contribute.
This film is a timely reminder of why open source matters, and makes a strong case for why it’s worth protecting rather than assuming it will always be there.
Whether you’re a developer, a business owner or simply someone who cares about the future of the web, we’d recommend giving it a watch.