His strict adherence to copyleft and free software principles has sometimes been criticized as being too rigid and impractical in certain contexts.

Differences in philosophy between the free software movement, which emphasizes ethical considerations, and the open source movement, which focuses on practical benefits, have led to disagreements and debates.

Resigns from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the Free Software Foundation (FSF) due to controversial statements regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Is reinstated to the board of directors of the Free Software Foundation, sparking significant controversy and leading to resignations from other board members and FSF staff.

Steps down as head of the GNU Project following public outcry after his reinstatement to the FSF board.

Has faced criticism for his personal conduct and some of his public statements, which have been perceived as insensitive or inappropriate by some individuals.