Free the Internet from SOPA and PIPA

[avalanch]

Let me explain some basics about two new bills being considered by our lawmakers in Washington.

First there is SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) a bill that's in commitee being considered by the House of Representatives. Then there is PIPA (PROTECT IP Act) being considered by the Senate. Both bills are intended to deal with copyright infringement and online piracy. The target is mainly software, music, and movie download and streaming sites.

The intention to stop piracy is likely a very good one. Part of the reason why these bills exist and have some support. Large corporations like the movie and music industry want these passed asap.

SOPA has been delayed in committee due to opposition to the bill from internet leaders such as Google. The bill can still be reworded and voted on in the future and thus it's still a threat to internet freedoms.

PIPA is even more dangerous to the internet as it's being voted on January 24th. That's one week away. So no time can be wasted showing support to oppose this bill.

Now without going into a vast post about legalese and the wording problems with these bills I will just get right to the point.

If either bill is passed it can stifle internet freedoms by shutting down sites without due process. The government will have additional powers to seize domains that it feels violate PIPA/SOPA. It's a shoot first and ask questions later process. We can't have that in America. It's not the intent of our judicial system to allow government this power. Many believe the bills violate our First Amendment freedom of speech rights. But do we want to wait till it's passed and fight in the courts for a repeal? Or do we want to oppose this now and make sure it never gets passed in the first place.

I encourage every American citizen opposing these bills to contact their local representative in both House and Senate expressing your opposition.

Here is an excellent website to begin your research and prevent this bill.
http://americancensorship.org

What are you waiting for?

[mrintech]

Those AWESOME people have pulled down the bill, but it will be back in some other form soon :-/

[icantthinkofone]

Originally Posted by avalanch

If either bill is passed it can stifle internet freedoms by shutting down sites without due process.

This is false. Every action must be approved through the courts.

It's a shoot first and ask questions later process.

Also not true. Same reason.

Many believe the bills violate our First Amendment freedom of speech rights.

Only by those who do not understand the bill and have not read it.

Opposition to this bill is "jump on the bandwagon without thinking". While SOPA and PIPA need to be better thought out, their intent is right thinking in that they are protecting authors and artists from copyright infringement. Are you also against copyright protection? The purpose of the bill is to extend it to the internet.

And you won't find anyone saying that's a bad thing. It's just that the internet companies that are against this bill only feel this way because they will now have to do what newspapers, magazines, TV and film have had to do for centuries and that's not accept anything that comes in the mail and publish it without checking it for perjury.

So don't blindly follow everything you read on the internet. SOPA/PIPA have their heart in the right place. They just need to think this out better.

[mrintech]

Originally Posted by icantthinkofone

Opposition to this bill is "jump on the bandwagon without thinking". While SOPA and PIPA need to be better thought out, their intent is right thinking in that they are protecting authors and artists from copyright infringement. Are you also against copyright protection? The purpose of the bill is to extend it to the internet.

Each and every work is built on the work of some other people. Do anyone have the name list of ALL those people (authors and artists)?

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.03/lessig.html

[satnav]

If in case both bills have won, hackers, crackers and everyone else out there will surely do something about it. It is like a war that never ends.