SOPA & PIPA - The Day The Web Went Dark ...

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SOPA & PIPA - The Day The Web Went Dark ...

Post by M2-Destroyer » Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:59 pm

Today, thousands of websites voluntarily removed their content, 'Blacked Out' or publicly said 'Enough is enough' on their pages in protest against anti-piracy laws currently being discussed by US Lawmakers.

Here is a BBC News Article on the subject as well as a BBC Image Gallery with the 'Blacked Out' homepages for today.

Before i go on, i'd just like to say, my favourite comment on the subject from a website so far has to be:
Cult online comic The Oatmeal wrote:"like dealing with a lion that has escaped from the zoo by blasting some kittens with a flamethrower".

Moving on.

I'd like to know what people's opinions are on SOPA and PIPA as, if these laws are implemented in their current state, the effects of these laws will directly, or indirectly, effecting us all.

Before i state my opinions on the subject, i'd like to clearly state that any opinions are my own and any observations made in this post are based soley on what i have observed first hand and that yes, i do realise that they may be completely wrong statistically and may then make my opinion invalid, it is my opinion which makes it neither right nor wrong as long as i don't try and enforce it on people.

I'd like to start by saying that yes, i completely and utterly support the motivations BEHIND the laws. Who, morally and ethically speaking here, wouldn't? It costs us hundreds of millions, if not billions, per year on a world-wide scale that is growing exponentially each year at this moment. I think that, if it could save our governments money, especially at a time like this, as well as bring back jobs, then it has my support - Which is miniscule in comparison to whats happened today.

However, i also feel that the Stop Online Piracy Act ('SOPA') and the Protect IP Act ('PIPA') are very badly written and very narrow minded. Why? Well because these two acts will allow US Authorities to cut websites off and force them offline if they have any trace of Pirating or are HyperLinked to anyone who may be hosting Pirate media. Yes, the Hoster will have time to file a counter-notification (5 days), but they are cut off immediately, regardless and thats where my problem lies.

So - That doesn't sound that bad, so a site is down for a few days whilst they get it sorted, they'll learn their lesson right?

Ummm ... In theory yes, but that just doesn't sit right with me. Lets look at a scenario slightly closer to home, Starport. These acts would mean that someone would have to sit on this forum and read every topic. Post, by post, by post - To check if there are any links in any topics that link to pirated media, programs, movies etc, or any posts that tell you where you can go (Therefore breaking the Piracy section(s) of the law(s)), or if there are any images that have been posted that may have been posted without permission from the original poster, (Therefore breaking the Copyright section(s) of the law(s)).

Doesn't sound so bad right? Sit and read BBQ that happened a while back? Now remember, we still have BBQ in this forum from 4-5 years ago, some of the topics have hundreds of pages, thousands of posts - How long will that take? Could we really ask that of Toonces? Could we really ask that voluntarily of someone else to do? Doubt Toonces could afford to pay someone to do it.

So if any of these posts were found and brought to the attention of the authorities, anyone who is linked with this site has to cut ties with it. Any sites that provide traffic, advertising or process payments (etc) to the Starport.com domain and all the subdomains that are accessable by the public (/sgeforum, /blog etc) have cut ties and be taken offline respecively, until the problem has been solved - which may take weeks, months or years going through the US Legal System.

Now think about it in terms of Wikipedia, hundreds, if not, hundreds of thousands of people post on that website every day in almost every spoken language that can be found online, they edit entries, post in forums, add new content, etc, so what happens if someone posted an image that breaches copyright? Intentionally or not, thats Wikipedia offline and anyone who provides support either through traffic or advertising must cut their ties or risk going down with them - So there's that website and company, instantly losing money. They still have employee's, bills, rent etc to pay? Anyone who DOES support them after the Notification has been made will be subject to the same action taken against Wikipedia.

How long could they keep going for with no income?

What about Google? So much bigger than Wikipedia in so many ways - Imagine how many pirate sites it finds and displays every day? Granted, they might not be at the top of the list, but they are there. What if they inadvertantly miss one? No-ones perfect so it is possible, but what if they did? Google's gone overnight - Do you really want to have to be forced to use Bing? Or even Ask.com? What if someone who is innocent is censored? Google don't need to tell them, so they'll never know - A potential instant loss of revenue for the related company.

Like i said, i agree with the motivation behind these laws, but for the reasons outlined above, i can't support it in it's current state.

What about you?

What do you think about it?

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Re: SOPA & PIPA - The Day The Web Went Dark ...

Post by Caia » Thu Jan 19, 2012 9:40 am

There are already copyright laws in existence. Any company/person who has copyrights can, through legal action, stop whoever is stealing their intellectual property (at least within the US -- It gets tricky for those that break the laws outside of the US). As a writer, I'm happy such laws exist. However, the LAST thing we need is the government coming in and trying to "help".

Check out C-Span at some point. Congressmen have no clue how the internet works, nor how damaging SOPA and PIPA could be. In their current forms, both these laws are so vague, poorly written, and unconstitutional that no one would pass them. Except congress, of course. Thankfully enough people are getting informed and contacting the people who represent them that congress will be hard pressed to pass them (in their current forms anyway).

The system works, if just barely. And by the way, this is exactly why people need to be informed about what's going on. Congress just passed a law (signed by Obama now) that will allow the government to lock up US citizens without cause simply because the government SUSPECTS them of being a terrorist. This bill is now LAW. I have no doubt it'll be tossed out by the courts (its a blatant violation of the 4th Amendment), but somehow we all let Congress pass the bill anyway.

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Major
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Re: SOPA & PIPA - The Day The Web Went Dark ...

Post by Major » Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:18 pm

I personally called the office of http://sopatrack.com/congressperson/M00 ... t-menendez to address my concern and explain I AM part of his constituency and against PIPA and SOPA. So did thousands of others, and millions signed petitions.

btw. that sopa track website is a great reference...you should all call your representatives to I love you man! about anything you like. If you are foreign and dislike something our federal government is doing call the state department. http://www.usembassy.gov/


As of today...my Senator (whom was a co sponsor) publicly changed his stance on pipa.

HOWEVER-

this also happened. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/justic ... xiY-tXfd8E

...so who hugging knows.

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Re: SOPA & PIPA - The Day The Web Went Dark ...

Post by Saber-Fury » Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:12 am

the megavideo riots of 2012

but seriously. the acts' general boundaries will make this the patriot act part 2

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GRAWRG.
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Re: SOPA & PIPA - The Day The Web Went Dark ...

Post by GRAWRG. » Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:21 am

that sucks (@ megavideo). pj fix your phone i need to message you. or talk to you elsewhere.

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Re: SOPA & PIPA - The Day The Web Went Dark ...

Post by ygvbBubblez » Fri Jan 20, 2012 4:54 pm

I think these laws would enable the government to shut down any social networking site they wanted, making organized protests and such harder, you will no longer be able to post an anti-GMO video on Youtube, because Youtube won't exist, not because of people posting anti GMO videos, but because some people were posting stolen music videos. Although they say they are trying to stop copyright infringement, I think it would be used to stop the avenues used for free speech.

If this bill becomes law, there goes almost any website where you post content, the place where I sell 3D models will probably go 'bye bye' because I see copyright infringement there all the time.
YouTube is most probably a goner.
This website may become a target (SGE forums).
Most the forums I visit will probably be a likely target as well.
Facebook would probably be doomed.
Most of what will remain will probably be static websites, websites where the users have little to no interaction.

JesusRocks765
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Re: SOPA & PIPA - The Day The Web Went Dark ...

Post by JesusRocks765 » Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:13 am

I heard it got declined?

Good Job america :)

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