Bundling GPLv3 GNU FreeFont with my public domain HTML template system

Question

The most-relevant existing question I can find is Dual license Apache2.0 GPLv3 for a library with optionnal GPLed code and Bundling GCC along with my GPLv2 project, still, I could use some clarification.

I use GNU FreeFont to typeset some maths expression in user agents without MathML support, as well as to produce single-page HTML docs suitable for conversion to PDF formats using external softwares. To this end, the FAQ (as of March 2020) says

1. it's fine to arbitrarily license the PDF (since the PDF is considered the output of the font instead of the font itself); and

2. online websites must distribute the fonts' lincesing information along with the web pages (if I understood correctly, one way to do that is to make sure the font package content is intact).

On the other hand, I want to dedicate the template system to the public domain, and allow recipiants of my package to replace the fonts with whatever else they prefer. To that end, the FAQ says about bundling the fonts in non-GPL software: I must indicate it's a separate product and users can obtain it themselves.

Currently, there's a half-complete "tutorial" and a half-complete "license" in the docs for the templates. And what I'm doing right now, is that:

1. I've put the fonts in a subdirectory of my template files.

2. Included a text in the "tutorial" saying the fonts is bundled with the templates, where to obtain it, and it'ss used for maths expressions, and can be replaced if users find licensing conflicts.

3. Also in "tutorial", the relative path in the package to the directory containing the fonts.

4. Indicated in my "license" that: the templates are public domain; the fonts are from GNU and is GPLv3.

I think that might not be adequate as I'm telling users to replace the fonts rather than obtaining it from official sources.

My questions are:

Without including a full verbose text of license,

1. What should I tell users of the template system?

2. What should I tell users of the template system to tell website and PDF authors?

3. What do I need to do to make sure the templates can be placed in public domain?

Answer 1

With what you have done so far, you are nearly there.

Without including a full verbose text of license,

You don't need to include a copy of the GPL license in your own license file, but you should have a copy of it in the FreeFont subdirectory

What should I tell users of the template system?

The only thing missing from your "tutorial" is a link to the FreeFont homepage.

What should I tell users of the template system to tell website and PDF authors?

I would add a link to the FreeFont FAQ. That is likely to be better than anything you can write up yourself.

What do I need to do to make sure the templates can be placed in public domain?

Nothing more. However, it might be good to know that not all jurisdictions, including large parts of Europe, allow works to be placed explicitly in the public domain. An alternative might be to use the CC0 license, which is effectively "public domain or a very very permissive license if public domain isn't recognized".