SOPA Update

[ladyofleithian]

Good news: Barack Obama no longer supports SOPA -- the bill's pretty much dead. Unfortunately, the fight's not quite over yet -- we still have other things to contend with, like PIPA, otherwise known as the Protect IP act. Let's say that I've just heard about this, if only because SOPA was moving a lot faster in terms of the legislation, but PIPA is just as dangerous. And now that SOPA has pretty much been thwarted, they're focusing on PIPA, or the Protect IP Act. For those who are curious about PIPA:

PIPA, if passed, will give  U.S. corporations and the government the right to seek affirmative legal action with any website that they see as enabling copyright infringement weather of U.S. origin or not. Here is a breakdown of all that they will have the power to do.

• Force U.S. internet providers to block access to websites deemed as enablers of copyright infringement
• Seek legal action by suing search engines, blog sites, directories, or any site in general to have the black listed sites removed from their website
• Will be able to force advertising services on infringing websites, and those supporting of them, to remove them from their advertising accounts
• Companies will also have the power to sue any new websites that get started after this bill is passed, if they believe that they are not doing a good job of preventing infringement on your website

(http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/how-sopa-pipa-can-affect-you/)

That and both SOPA and PIPA -- they're (or in SOPA's case, they were) aiming high; as previous copyright infringement laws were pretty much mocked for not being able to reach overseas networks, PIPA would take that a little further -- basically, it wouldn't just attack the Internet over in the United States, but worldwide. In addition, the main reason they'd fail is not only because of the whole breaking the foundations of the Internet (no Facebook, no Twitter, no nothing), but because they'd ultimately end up targeting the wrong people. A child singing a favorite song and posting it on Youtube, for example -- she and her family would have to face legal action for something as innocuous as that. It would ultimately threaten freedom of speech and expression, not only over here, but for the whole world.

As a result of this, Wikipedia and many other sites are going on strike -- look here and here for more information. *Sighs* Continue to contact your Senators, continue to spread the word -- just don't allow PIPA to pass. If that happens, this may very well be the end of free speech as we know it. And that can't happen.

Update: vanceme provided me this link: http://stopsopa.livejournal.com/. I say definitely drop by and join, if possible.

Comments

[vanceme.livejournal.com]

http://stopsopa.livejournal.com/

Lets try and get LJ to participate? I have been using FB to spread the message, but I feel there are entire untapped communities here. It would be an awesome headline "Sudden outrage of LJ users causes the website to jump on the blackout bandwagon only 12 hours later"

[ladyhadhafang.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) Updated my post to let them know.

[pronker]

Thanks for this post -- much food for thought here --

[forcewatcher.livejournal.com]

I think I agree with Google and Twitter on this one. A blackout doesn't do anything to send any message, especially with an information site like Wiki. But actually SENDING a message does. If anything, info sites and such should be spamming senators and representatives until their phones short circuit.

My two Republic credits, for whatever they're worth.

[ladyhadhafang.livejournal.com]

Good idea, I say. *Makes note of that -- especially since she should really contact her own representative*

[wyncatastrophe.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much for posting this; I've been feeling pretty out of the loop lately, and reliable information hasn't exactly been spread all over the major news outlets (not least because many of them are owned by companies that support the legislation, a conflict of interest of which nobody seems to be taking much notice). Let's focus our efforts on PIPA!

[ladyhadhafang.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome. :)

And this. Totally.

[wyncatastrophe.livejournal.com]

:)

[coldthermistor.livejournal.com]

You know, I sort of would except for the annoying fact that it's not even my country trying to screw us all over - and yet though it involves us, because it's not my country, I have no say.

*Sigh* Sorry if that came out harsh or something. I'm just disgusted because this shouldn't be allowed to stand and break jurisdiction boundaries. You don't drop a hydrogen bomb on a city just because a few militants are using civilian shields.

[ladyhadhafang.livejournal.com]

It's all right. *hugs* I know what you mean.

[esper-aroon.livejournal.com]

Right now I really wish I lived in the U.S. so I could do something! The word of a foreigner doesn't really count much when it comes to the senators and such. And it'll still affect me!

But I don't think that the blackout would help any, more like the opposite.

[flamingo-bandit.livejournal.com]

Wrote in. I do think the blackout had some uses--the Wiki one, for example, bringing info to (unavoidably shoving info at) people and promptly providing ways to contact your representative.

GOD this scares me--the slope is remarkably slippery, wouldn't you say?

sorry a bit incoherent.

[ladyhadhafang.livejournal.com]

S'okay. *Hugs* I know what you mean.

[lindethiel.livejournal.com]

What's scary is that even though Obama doesn't support SOPA, Congress can still pass it, regardless of his opinion.

Add me on to the list of terrified non-American...