For those of you that have been following the coverage on SOPA (Stop on line piracy act), many who oppose the bill are getting together to have an internet "black-out" day. Large companies like google, yahoo, facebook, ect. are joining in to demonstrate what can happen to the internet if the bill passes the US congress and is signed into law. The bill was created to shut down websites that promote pirated material like movies, games, and music. The problem is the broad aspects of a bill that not only affect those sites (like pirate bay, btjunkie, torents.com) but any site even linking to a site that has content that may be pirated. ANYONE can shut the site down. The ISP, the cooperation that owns the copy-written content....and even just a regular every day guy who reports the the site. Since the activity is not considered "criminal" in the bill (although criminal charges can be filed), there is no initial due process. Meaning, in theory, a site can be reported and shut down the same day without notice. Then the site owner would have to appeal, which could take from days to months.
It also says in the bill that the content does not have to be posted or approved by the site owner, but also covers users in their replies or posts. Example: If someone was to just leave a comment in any thread on this site with either a link to a torrent or the web address to a torrent site or even to a site that has "some" torrents....this site would be shut down. If they even posted a photo that is has copy-write protection...same thing. I would not be contacted regarding the content so I could remove it.....but they would just shut the site completely down, no questions asked. If someone posted a photo on FB that is considered to be copy written......FB goes down.
As the laws are stated now, sites like this one, facebook, youtube, 4chan, google+...anything that relies mainly on user content, are protected by the "safe harbor law" if someone posts any illegal activity. So as of now if someone was to post a torrent link on FB and it is reported, the worst case is FB would have the option to remove the content and/or the user....but are still not personally responsible as long as they state in their TOS that it is against policy to post such things. If this law passes, the sites will be completely responsible for ANY content posted....even by its users.
I'm sure you can see the writing on the wall and understand this will lead to complete government and large corperation control of the internet. That can not happen.
Here is more info to understand what SOPA is and does (I advise to watch the entire 20 minutes):
http://www.fastcompany.com/1808216/remain-diligent-sopa-and-pipa-must-be-squashed-not-changed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act
And here is the site that is forming the protest. I have signed this site up for it and we will be blacked out on the 18th along with many many other sites. http://sopastrike.com/
I urge anyone who wants to copy/paste this to their own site or link it....feel free, and if nothing else....spread the message anywhere you can. Any questions, just post.
It also says in the bill that the content does not have to be posted or approved by the site owner, but also covers users in their replies or posts. Example: If someone was to just leave a comment in any thread on this site with either a link to a torrent or the web address to a torrent site or even to a site that has "some" torrents....this site would be shut down. If they even posted a photo that is has copy-write protection...same thing. I would not be contacted regarding the content so I could remove it.....but they would just shut the site completely down, no questions asked. If someone posted a photo on FB that is considered to be copy written......FB goes down.
As the laws are stated now, sites like this one, facebook, youtube, 4chan, google+...anything that relies mainly on user content, are protected by the "safe harbor law" if someone posts any illegal activity. So as of now if someone was to post a torrent link on FB and it is reported, the worst case is FB would have the option to remove the content and/or the user....but are still not personally responsible as long as they state in their TOS that it is against policy to post such things. If this law passes, the sites will be completely responsible for ANY content posted....even by its users.
I'm sure you can see the writing on the wall and understand this will lead to complete government and large corperation control of the internet. That can not happen.
Here is more info to understand what SOPA is and does (I advise to watch the entire 20 minutes):
http://www.fastcompany.com/1808216/remain-diligent-sopa-and-pipa-must-be-squashed-not-changed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act
And here is the site that is forming the protest. I have signed this site up for it and we will be blacked out on the 18th along with many many other sites. http://sopastrike.com/
I urge anyone who wants to copy/paste this to their own site or link it....feel free, and if nothing else....spread the message anywhere you can. Any questions, just post.
Last edited by T@D on Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:39 pm; edited 1 time in total