Stop SOPA and PIPA!

[Reeves]

Okay, I'm pretty sure all of you know about these two bills. But just hear me out as I do my part to spread awareness and make sure this s**t doesn't fly.

(Ahem)

For those of you who aren't in the loop, SOPA and PIPA were written and are supported by politicians and groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA) to combat the issue of online piracy and counterfeiting. However, the way that SOPA and PIPA are written threatens to violate freedom of expression, disrupt cybersecurity, and stifle internet innovation by introducing a series of provisions that allows the American judicial system to shut down sites or cut off funding at its own jurisdiction, without due process or trial. The anti-circumvention provision has also been added to shut down sites that provide users information to help them get around what is essentially a censorship mechanism.

This legislation may be intended to stop a serious problem, but remember the proverb, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." SOPA and PIPA, while attempting to create jobs and save revenue, would ultimately destroy economic innovation especially among small businesses and entrepreneurs. They also would force sites to monitor every user's content, which is nigh on impossible in some cases, in case copyright infringement occurs. Venture capitalists would not invest, and creative work would completely disappear. We cannot afford to lose a free, global Internet.

Please act now by contacting your state representatives and Congressmen and urging them to oppose this dangerous legislation. Even I, a lowly blogger, could be negatively affected by these overreaching bills. PIPA could be brought up for a vote as early as January 24th, and SOPA could be re-introduced in early February. Even though the White House has vocally disapproved of these bills, one can never know what will happen in the future. For more information, please click the link below:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/01/how-pipa-and-sopa-violate-white-house-principles-supporting-free-speech

Seriously. Sign as many petitions as you can, contact or call your representatives, share this on Facebook, whatever you can do to make sure this doesn't pass. Let's keep our Internet free and open.

Any thoughts on the matter? Just put 'em in this thread!  

[Idolatrine]

Yeah, I signed some petition or two in like November over this.

s**t's scary.  

[Reeves]

I've personally been involved in movements to save the net since 2010, when COICA was introduced. It had virtually all the same problems these two bills had. What's different now is that people are realizing, "s**t, politicians are seriously considering passing this."

The good news is this blackout and more has really caused enough backlash to get at least a dozen representatives and senators on both sides of the political spectrum to withdraw their support from both SOPA and PIPA. So everyone's actions are really making a difference.  

[Idolatrine]

Haha, nobody around here seems to give enough of a s**t because here in East ******** people love their "family values" politicians.

Assholes like that are the reason I'm really loving the idea of term limits for Congress.  

[Nu Lucrezia]

I lol'd  

[Reeves]

Nu Lucrezia

I lol'd

But don't you understand? They're only targeting rogue websites even though the legislation as it's written is completely vague, most likely on purpose! rolleyes  

[tiny broken fingers]

the bills were pulled yesterday for further tweaking and review and will probably be on the floor again sometime but not for a while yet


megaupload is about as dead as anything can be though  

[Reeves]

Yep, SOPA and PIPA have been postponed. Yippee! As for MegaUpload, I don't really know enough about the site to have a solid opinion on the whole scenario.  

[Zal_te_Gavin]

Reeves

Yep, SOPA and PIPA have been postponed. Yippee! As for MegaUpload, I don't really know enough about the site to have a solid opinion on the whole scenario.

Postponed is good, but ide rather their gone for good, to me, postponed is like a threat to the internet, "this gets to bad, were gonna put it up anyway". and megaupload is basically a place where you can download s**t, they get permission from each artist/creator to put it up there so its completely legal. Government is slowly stripping our rights, one by one. quite frankly, i feel like going ninja and smacking those politicians around a bit to remind them who really is in charge these days...The People.  

[Reeves]

To be fair, MegaUpload was being used in the wrong way. People were using the site to illegally download material. As for the people being in charge, the result of SOPA and PIPA's demise was the people, as well as the tech companies (who I'm guessing Hollywood didn't think were on its level). The OPEN Act is a pure example of a bill that was written in response to the people. Is it perfect? No way. But it's sure a lot better than SOPA/PIPA.

SOPA and PIPA were "postponed," but I'm getting the feeling they're going to be dead for at least a while. And if they do get revived and aren't any better...expect the same kind of backlash again. I'm prepared to fight. cool  

[Nu Lucrezia]

it's a shame that the megaupload-related sites are down, I wanted to watch some giant robot anime and could only find megavideo links sad  

[Reeves]

I found a really interesting editorial article on Megaupload and how the U.S. Government doesn't need anti-piracy bills to shut down big sites. Obs-oi-ve:

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2012/0121/If-feds-can-bust-Megaupload-why-bother-with-anti-piracy-bills  

[Zal_te_Gavin]

Reeves

To be fair, MegaUpload was being used in the wrong way. People were using the site to illegally download material. As for the people being in charge, the result of SOPA and PIPA's demise was the people, as well as the tech companies (who I'm guessing Hollywood didn't think were on its level). The OPEN Act is a pure example of a bill that was written in response to the people. Is it perfect? No way. But it's sure a lot better than SOPA/PIPA.

SOPA and PIPA were "postponed," but I'm getting the feeling they're going to be dead for at least a while. And if they do get revived and aren't any better...expect the same kind of backlash again. I'm prepared to fight. cool

I think their trying to trick us into feeling like we won. they postpone, but make another bill thats slightly better and make sure you dont know about it until its almost too late. but even if they dont do this, a quote "Prepare for the worst, and anything else will be a pleasant surprise" i hope im wrong though.  

[Reeves]

Zal_te_Gavin

Reeves

To be fair, MegaUpload was being used in the wrong way. People were using the site to illegally download material. As for the people being in charge, the result of SOPA and PIPA's demise was the people, as well as the tech companies (who I'm guessing Hollywood didn't think were on its level). The OPEN Act is a pure example of a bill that was written in response to the people. Is it perfect? No way. But it's sure a lot better than SOPA/PIPA.

SOPA and PIPA were "postponed," but I'm getting the feeling they're going to be dead for at least a while. And if they do get revived and aren't any better...expect the same kind of backlash again. I'm prepared to fight. cool

I think their trying to trick us into feeling like we won. they postpone, but make another bill thats slightly better and make sure you dont know about it until its almost too late. but even if they dont do this, a quote "Prepare for the worst, and anything else will be a pleasant surprise" i hope im wrong though.

I wouldn't give our government that much credit. Stupid, yes. Powerhungry, yes. But cunning tricksters? Give me a break.  

[Zal_te_Gavin]

Reeves

Zal_te_Gavin

Reeves

To be fair, MegaUpload was being used in the wrong way. People were using the site to illegally download material. As for the people being in charge, the result of SOPA and PIPA's demise was the people, as well as the tech companies (who I'm guessing Hollywood didn't think were on its level). The OPEN Act is a pure example of a bill that was written in response to the people. Is it perfect? No way. But it's sure a lot better than SOPA/PIPA.

SOPA and PIPA were "postponed," but I'm getting the feeling they're going to be dead for at least a while. And if they do get revived and aren't any better...expect the same kind of backlash again. I'm prepared to fight. cool

I think their trying to trick us into feeling like we won. they postpone, but make another bill thats slightly better and make sure you dont know about it until its almost too late. but even if they dont do this, a quote "Prepare for the worst, and anything else will be a pleasant surprise" i hope im wrong though.

I wouldn't give our government that much credit. Stupid, yes. Powerhungry, yes. But cunning tricksters? Give me a break.

Who said it was cunning? all they have to do is make bill (which how the hell they have that much patience i cant even guess) then say vote, and make sure nobody talks about the part where they get rich. not cunning, just withholding key info. dont get me wrong, i dislike them as much as anyone. besides ron paul, idk about him, he seems the kinda person who doesnt care what people think, hes gonna say the truth...most of the time. plus hes old, you can never figure out the old.