Websites like Google and Wikipedia going black in protest of SOPA

[FlamesPuck12]

I read this great analogy (can't remember where, I think it was reddit) regarding SOPA.

The government is trying to stop the drug deals but instead of shutting down the crackhouse, they're just removing all the street names. Druggies who are going to the crackhouse to get the drugs don't really care since they already know where it is but this screws everyone else who has no intention of buying drugs.

[littlereddevil]

The U.S. government has an economy to sort out, but they'd rather spend thei time trying to get a bill passed that would probably kill the Internet industry.

Oh the irony...

[Nuje]

Originally Posted by SebC

You want to beat piracy? Take away the incentive. The video game industry seems to have figured this out somewhat... things like Steam (digital distribution platform with excellent sales) and the Humble Bundles (pay what you want, DRM free) have been had big successes by lowering their prices but dramatically increasing volume.

Instead of selling 100 songs for 100 dollars to one person, you can sell 100 songs for a dollar to 100 people. You make the same money (just about) but consumers won't feel so ripped off.

Yep. The industry still acts like they have to pay the manufacturing costs for CDs, etc., but the truth is they don't. It's easier than ever for us to duplicate media, but it's easier (and less expensive) than ever for them as well.

Another slightly related gripe, is cable TV. With analog signals, and the cable guy having to physically go out to your area, it was next to impossible to have each household have just the channels they picked and chose. However now, why the hell not! I'd be much more likely to pay for those premium channels if I could slash 90% of the crap I have now that I never watch.

[zamler]

People forget that the RIAA fought hard to BAN the sale of mp3 players, which are now responsible for a big chunk of music revenue. Not to mention the mp3 player vaulted Apple from obscure to a dominating force.

[Regulator75]

Fata

[Pizza]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

I guess this belongs here too.

[

you're about 12 hours too late

[valo403]

Seems very unlikely that this bill will be passed in its current form as a number of Senators on both sides of the floor have come out against it.

http://www.law360.com/media/articles...campaign=media

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by valo403

Seems very unlikely that this bill will be passed in its current form as a number of Senators on both sides of the floor have come out against it.

http://www.law360.com/media/articles...campaign=media

Probably because they didn't know what the bill meant, went to google it and couldn't get into wiki to read up on it.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Probably because they didn't know what the bill meant, went to google it and couldn't get into wiki to read up on it.

...Which causes even crazier scenarios to appear I think. There seems to be no way to get rational information without reading the law. The government's view on this is really flawed. At the same time, Wikipedia, Reddit, and other online sites provide a slight spin on their view (and by slight, I mean, reword your issues to sound like it's the end of the Internet. They're legitimate concerns, but ones that sound a little extreme at this point). The only way you can get unbias information is by reading the law in itself and mix in your experience of unintended consequences that occur...and it seems nobody in Congress is capable of reading and comprehending it as they don't have the technological experience. Theoretically, that's what the committee is for, but even they seem incapable of getting proper knowledge experts in.

[Flabbibulin]

[Ne7en]

Not sure if this relates, as I don't know all specifics with SOPA. But Feds have shut down MegaUpload and word is other sites will follow shortly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16642369

[Itse]

Personally I think the people behind SOPA are in fact quite hopeful that they could end the internet as we know it. I'm also sure they will not stop trying to create as much trouble as they can.

Because a lot of them are damned old and a lot of old people really see it mostly as a source for trouble and a bunch of pointless kiddie stuff. For them it's information leaks, disgusting porn, a place for bullying and a rallying ground for all sorts of riff raff. A place where free speech has gone haywire, from bomb manuals to questioning the government in completely improper tones. And yes, copyright infringements.

They would much rather see a strictly commercial, controlled enviroment take it's place.

Which just goes to show how deluded they are. But a lot of old people have a lot of power and they could create a lot of trouble.

And after them there will be younger people who will come up with ideas of limiting internet freedom that might actually work, because there will always be people against anything that's not easily controlled.

[mykalberta]

Oops megaupload news already out there damn too late

[kirant]

Originally Posted by Itse

Personally I think the people behind SOPA are in fact quite hopeful that they could end the internet as we know it. I'm also sure they will not stop trying to create as much trouble as they can.

Because a lot of them are damned old and a lot of old people really see it mostly as a source for trouble and a bunch of pointless kiddie stuff. For them it's information leaks, disgusting porn, a place for bullying and a rallying ground for all sorts of riff raff. A place where free speech has gone haywire, from bomb manuals to questioning the government in completely improper tones. And yes, copyright infringements.

To a degree, they're not wrong if we go by your words. It does have all that stuff on various places. It's the proportions that we believe exist of both that is different. Major supporters of the Internet would say that there is a lot more supportive information, where free speech exists well and human rational and thought keeps it in check, where detractors (and this is more of a guess) see it as uncontrolled chaos or that the amount of cons don't outweight the pros.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Ne7en

Not sure if this relates, as I don't know all specifics with SOPA. But Feds have shut down MegaUpload and word is other sites will follow shortly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16642369

This story gets weird.

It was recently revelaed that Hip Hop superproducer Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keyes husband is CEO of megaupload.

Anonymous also took down Universal music and the Justice departments website in retaliation.

[Itse]

A bit large, sorry.

[FlameOn]

http://projects.propublica.org/sopa/
is where that chart came from. It's stagger the amount of money that this politicians receiver in "campaign contributions" from big media types. Half a million would be considered pure bribery up here.

So megauploads has been shut down as a "copyright infringer"... given the rhetoric coming out of the SOPA/PIPA debates, how Hollywood claims a lot of the other tech companies are profiting off copyright infringement and law enforcement saying more shutdowns to come, are we seeing targets going up against bigger tech companies in the States?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Barnes

This story gets weird.

It was recently revelaed that Hip Hop superproducer Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keyes husband is CEO of megaupload.

Anonymous also took down Universal music and the Justice departments website in retaliation.

I'm actually starting to become more of a fan of Anonymous. It's civil disobedience in the digital age.

[Rathji]

Probably the smartest thing Glenn Beck has ever said (even though some of it it is pretty idiotic still):

Pretty long, but the first 5 mins or so is the good part.

http://web.gbtv.com/media/video.jsp?...ic_id=24584158

[CaramonLS]

Companies need to be a lot better about distribution. I bet you game of thrones is one of the most pirated series because you can't get it until April 2012 from HBO.