Stupid Ways the Government is Trying to Screw the Internet

[Pinkie Pie]

It said both the Stop Online Piracy and Protect IP Acts. So...no.

[Delta 757]

If you're in the US, here is a very useful link:

 

http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/Project:Stop_SOPA_and_PIPA

 

Here you can see who supports and who opposes these pieces of shit legislation. There's also tips on how you can contact your representative and senators.

 

Since SOPA has been put on hold in the House, PIPA, the senate version is the more important matter right now, since it's scheduled for a vote on January 24th.

 

In related news, a number of sites have announced blackouts for Wednesday in protest.

 

http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/sopa-shelved-indefinitely-but-reddits-jan-18-blackout-is-still-on-as-pipa-fight-continues/

[Arby]

Wikipedia is gonna black out too

[Alyxx Thorne]

I pretty much knew this was a bad idea as soon as I heard about it.

 

Here's an idea I think we all should do our best to take part in:

 

Bp8S8eJkMW8

[Doom Shepherd]

Where's Anonymous when you really need them?

[Axeldeath]

Checking dem dubz.

 

Anyway, almost every site I frequent is down. I might have to actually do something today.

[Eedo Baba]

Sent a message to my representatives, who are both pro-SOPA:

 

Hello

 

I'm a proud Tennessean, and I'd like to express my own position against the bills SOPA and PIPA.

 

I've seen what these bills could to the internet, and I cannot stand idly by. They would put an end to the freedom that Americans have come to know on the internet, and they would cripple the information industry.

 

Websites like Google, Youtube, and Facebook rely on user generated content to be useful. SOPA and PIPA require these sites to police themselves for copyrighted content. This would be impossible on the scale required. Google, for example, indexes billions of web pages every day. Expecting Google to make sure each one doesn't infringe copyright is obviously impossible. Google and sites like it, including Youtube, Facebook, and any user generated sites, will be crippled by SOPA and PIPA.

 

Loss of revenue when these sites are disabled in the US will cause them to implode. Google, for example, employs over 30,000 people as of 2011. As ad revenue collapses due to SOPA and PIPA, Google will likely be forced to decrease spending dramatically, meaning massive layoffs.

 

The same can be said for many sites across the internet which have no intention of breaking copyright laws. The information industry will be crippled just like Google, leaving thousands, perhaps millions of people unemployed.

 

It's my personal opinion that SOPA and PIPA would not only destroy jobs, but would set a dangerous precedent for censorship. Giving corporations the ability to censor the internet is a very dangerous and unethical idea.

 

As we've seen in the past, media companies are opposed to innovation at every corner. When VHS tapes were released, the MPAA wanted them banned, because they believed they would kill the movie business. As we know now, VHS launched the retail movie industry, causing a boom in Hollywood income.

 

We've seen in the past that these companies want to destroy innovation that could actually benefit them. The movie, music, and entertainment industries at large could use the internet to their advantage, but instead they choose to crush it with legal censorship.

 

The punch line here is that this probably won't even stop piracy. Lawbreakers are crafty. When alcohol was banned in the 20s, did that stop America from drinking? Are illegal narcotics not used in America today? Of course they are. Piracy as a concept is adaptive, unlike the corporations. If pirates want to find a way around SOPA and PIPA's censorship, they probably will.

 

In summary, SOPA and PIPA will end the free internet as we know it, kill jobs, set a dangerous precedent for censorship, and likely won't even be the end of digital piracy. I implore you to consider my message when voting on SOPA and PIPA. I've come to know and love the free internet as it stands. Destroying that freedom in a useless attempt to end piracy is a sad and truly shortsighted move.

 

Sincerely,

(My name)

 

TL;DR :

TkxmMPCVogc

[BTGBullseye]

Good letter.

[Pinkie Pie]

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Kirkreng]

[Pinkie Pie]

Those SOPA bastards...YOU MADE FLUTTERSHY CRY YOU BASTARDS I'LL KILL YOU!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!

[Axeldeath]

It's funny because it's already happened in my country but no one overseas could give a fuck then.

[Doom Shepherd]

It's funny because it's already happened in my country but no one overseas could give a fuck then.

 

Yeah, I hear they just arrested some of the folks who run Megaupload in your country, too.

 

Yep, Megaupload has been shut down. The US Justice Department is now claiming the power to arrest a Dutchman in New Zealand.

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-57362609-261/megaupload-assembles-worldwide-criminal-defense/

 

And you silly goobers thought the REPUBLICANS were the bad ones.

[Alyxx Thorne]

SOPA and PIPA have been dropped. A victory for the free internet!

 

Also, Megaupload being shut down allegedly had nothing to do with SOPA or PIPA, though I don't see why allowing filesharing automatically makes you responsible for piracy. The people who use the service are the ones responsible for what they upload on it.

[Pinkie Pie]

It's funny because it's already happened in my country but no one overseas could give a fuck then.

 

Yeah, I hear they just arrested some of the folks who run Megaupload in your country, too.

 

Yep, Megaupload has been shut down. The US Justice Department is now claiming the power to arrest a Dutchman in New Zealand.

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-57362609-261/megaupload-assembles-worldwide-criminal-defense/

 

And you silly goobers thought the REPUBLICANS were the bad ones.

The FBI didn't just show up and kick their doors down willy-nilly CIA style. They got a court order, which means they were able to make a case that significant illegal activity was happening there, and that it fell under U.S. jurisdiction (apparently the dipshits hosted a bunch of illegal content in Virginia). Due process was followed completely. And now they get a trial.

[Doublenature]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-57362990-501465/sopa-is-dead-smith-pulls-bill/ VIC FUCKING TORY!

[Pinkie Pie]

Didn't really need to make a new thread, but W00T

[Alyxx Thorne]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-57362990-501465/sopa-is-dead-smith-pulls-bill/ VIC FUCKING TORY!

Topics merged.

[Axeldeath]

Yep, Megaupload has been shut down.

 

It's hilarious how they're criminalizing the guy in the newspapers, his house got raided by 75 armed police officers and two helicopters. So he ran into a safe room and grabbed a shotgun, not exactly the smartest idea, though I'm taking the story with huge piles of salt.

Edited January 21, 2012 by Guest (see edit history)

[Alyxx Thorne]

Eh, I prefer MediaFire.