SOPA Blackout Protest

[JustSimplyMobile]

Would it affect mobile websites as well? SOPA would be terrible among people that are working offsite on the internet.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Lol

Conspiracy theories are so much fun.

How did the anti-terror laws work out for you guys? They are only used to catch terrorists, right?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

How did the anti-terror laws work out for you guys? They are only used to catch terrorists, right?

Right, because anyone they catch is a terrorist

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by phcaan

Well folks, the real issue here is control. Our government, USA, has trashed our constitution, bill of rights, and our legal system. They cannot afford to have a free internet. Pirating is just an excuse they are using to attempt to control and censor the internet .
It is all about power. It is all about control, and they will do anything to stop information they don’t control.

i see your point but i think this is more the last ditch effort of dying media empires to hold onto some type of relevance than anything. traditional media is losing massive ground to the internet day by day and they're filling their trousers in fear.

personally i don't really watch tv anymore, i watch my youtube "programs". i stream radio. i use netflix instead of going to the theater. i buy indie and small press novels. i'm just one guy but there are millions out there like me and more every day.

this sopa is nothing more than an attempt to keep people tuned into traditional media outlets, nothing more. they want to be the gatekeepers of your entertainment at all costs.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

How did the anti-terror laws work out for you guys? They are only used to catch terrorists, right?

I am not American. But that is besides the point, that is quite a different story from what the person I was replying to wrote about. He was implying that the US government is trying to stop the free flow of information.

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

I am not American. But that is besides the point, that is quite a different story from what the person I was replying to wrote about. He was implying that the US government is trying to stop the free flow of information.

we don't even need governments to control information, the lust of the news media to continue bringing in advertising dollars from companies like those behind sopa does the job for them mcdonalds is a big advertiser? well, they may not report on a batch of tainted meat or at the very least they'll bury/white wash it.

corporate censorship is a far greater danger than government censorship.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

we don't even need governments to control information, the lust of the news media to continue bringing in advertising dollars from companies like those behind sopa does the job for them mcdonalds is a big advertiser? well, they may not report on a batch of tainted meat or at the very least they'll bury/white wash it.

corporate censorship is a far greater danger than government censorship.

It was not my intention to defend SOPA, far from it.

[luqmaninbmore]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

I am not American. But that is besides the point, that is quite a different story from what the person I was replying to wrote about. He was implying that the US government is trying to stop the free flow of information.

The US government IS trying to stop the free flow of information. Some of that information consists of sharing done in violation of copyright law, but it is still information, nonetheless. And it is not a conspiracy to point out ways in which the US government has rolled back civil liberties and violated Constitutional guarantees. We recently had the case of a US citizen who was extra-judicially killed by the CIA. All it took was his name being put on a special list by the President. No indictment, no trial, no due process at all. It is not 'conspiratorial thinking' to be disturbed by that precedent.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

The US government IS trying to stop the free flow of information. Some of that information consists of sharing done in violation of copyright law, but it is still information, nonetheless. And it is not a conspiracy to point out ways in which the US government has rolled back civil liberties and violated Constitutional guarantees. We recently had the case of a US citizen who was extra-judicially killed by the CIA. All it took was his name being put on a special list by the President. No indictment, no trial, no due process at all. It is not 'conspiratorial thinking' to be disturbed by that precedent.

I agree with part of what you are saying --- civil liberties have been rolled back. Though you can argue about the merits of that particular case, I do question if it is a good idea that a government should have such powers over its citizens. But you and others (including the press) are freely reporting about it. Nobody is or was even trying to stop this news from going public.

However, copyright protection is not there to prevent the "sharing" of information (sorry, a copy of the latest best seller is not even "news" that must be shared). Besides, anyone can easily access that information by paying for a copy of the book or visiting the nearest library.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Besides, anyone can easily access that information by paying for a copy of the book or visiting the nearest library.

Indeed, the purpose of copyright libraries is to ensure that EVERY copyrighted work is available to the public.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Indeed, the purpose of copyright libraries is to ensure that EVERY copyrighted work is available to the public.

Every published copyrighted work.

[teh603]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

corporate censorship is a far greater danger than government censorship.

This is what I've never been able to convince my dad's Tea Party friends of. They're still living in the Clinton era, expecting the US to be turned over to some kind of neo-Stalinist autocracy that they're going to have to take up arms and fight a civil war against, in defense of of "free enterprise."

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Don't they have lobbyists for this kind of thing?

By the way, those in the US who oppose SOPA should write their Congressional reps.

But do you know how expensive Lobbyists are? the handful of proSOPA companies are able to outspend every AntiSOPA. Maplight.org has been tracking spending, and the ProSOPA companies have donated $92 million to campaigns to further SOPA, where as the antiSOPA companies have spent $7 million.

[xg4bx]

Originally Posted by teh603

This is what I've never been able to convince my dad's Tea Party friends of. They're still living in the Clinton era, expecting the US to be turned over to some kind of neo-Stalinist autocracy that they're going to have to take up arms and fight a civil war against, in defense of of "free enterprise."

neither are great considering how closely in cahoots they are but in my life i've been unaware of any outright censorship from the government but white washed stories on corporate wrong doing are a dime a dozen.




as to the topic-

Reddit admins announce January 18 blackout to protest SOPA



"The Internet has been rumbling and mobilizing in response to SOPA. One of the latest acts of protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act is a planned blackout by social website reddit on January 18.

Reddit admins announced the plan in a blog post on Tuesday. The post acknowledged the activism by redditors in the fight against “powerful forces trying to censor the Internet.” However, the admins explained that it was time for the next stage of the fight, and they’ve decided they will be blacking out reddit on January 18. The blackout will last all day from 8am to 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

Instead of the normal reddit gumbo, visitors will be treated to a message about the impact of the PIPA/SOPA legislation on sites such as reddit. Along with the message will be links to resources for visitors to research the legislation. Reddit will also be showcasing a live video stream of “Internet entrepreneurs and technical experts” testifying at the House hearing. And for those of you looking for activist activities, like meetups or campaigns against PIPA/SOPA, reddit will be spotlighting these that day."

http://news.yahoo.com/reddit-admins-...062713699.html


i'd love for a heavy hitter like amazon to do it too but i don't think they've got the testicular fortitude to deal with the issues caused by ignoramous customers that would result.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

How odd. I'm using Firefox, if that helps.

I also use Firefox. But I think it's the website that's the issue.

P.S. I was able to sign in today