"Ironic use" of sic[edit]
Occasionally a writer places [sic] after his or her own words, to indicate that
the language has been chosen deliberately for special effect, especially where
the writer's ironic meaning may otherwise be unclear.[18] Bryan A. Garner dubbed
this use of sic "ironic", providing the following example from Fred Rodell's 1955
book Nine Men:[2]
[I]n 1951, it was the blessing bestowed on Judge Harold Medina's prosecution
[sic] of the eleven so-called 'top native Communists,' which blessing meant
giving the Smith Act the judicial nod of constitutionality.
I think "crappybird" is being ironic and making some sort of meta-comment about how Android may be free-as-in-beer, and somewhat free-as-in-speech, but it isn't really free because REASON GOES HERE.
I think the implication is that "free" is being quoted from elsewhere and the author doesn't necessarily agree that it is without cost just because such cost is not denominated in dollars.