Developers should have the responsibility of ensuring their users get the freedoms they deserve.

No one deserves anything

right to study and modify the program and distribute the original copy and the modifications

there is no such right in any code, legal or moral, that i’ve read in the past, i wonder what philosophical branch it is that sources this perspective

what’s stopping the developer from adding spyware into the app

nothing, but when they do that, that’s when they’re “being unethical”. That’s like saing it’s unethical to have a kitchen knife in your kitchen because you COULD stab someone with it.

Why would anyone trust that the program does what’s in their best interest?

cuz they’re dumb & uninformed. doesn’t make it unethical tho, afaik.