US Congress's Internet Censorship Bill

[Shinobu]

I have no idea how the US Government works, because frankly, I don't need to, but I think that it's a bit unfair that other countries in the world like Britain have to live with popular sites being shut down for the day. It's not our problem, it's only the US's problem.

It's a single day without some website. It's not that big of a deal.

 

[John Understands]

It's a single day without some website. It's not that big of a deal.

You DO know that means YouTube, Wikipedia, Google, Twitter, Facebook, and other sites. Lots of popular sites will be shut down tommorow. It's somewhat a big deal.

 

[Shinobu]

"website" was a typo. It should have been plural.

Google (and Youtube), Facebook, and Twitter won't be part of the blackout now.

Regardless, it is a big deal that this protest is happening. It's not a big deal that people are being inconvenienced by it for a single day.

 

[Eredar Warlock]

What I find interesting is the strange bedfellows SOPA and PIPA have created. Opposition to it is across both political spectrums, and has apparently exploded in such size so quickly it has longtime Congressional aides stunned at the sheer speed the opposition has organized.

With the backpedaling of support for either bill, momentum appears to be with the opposition.

EDIT: Washington Post link was made "exclusive" for some reason.

 

[Lilac Hill]

Managed to get around the Wiki blackout by stopping the page loading before it switches to the blackout page.

Just like the world's most popular websites would be able to get around the bill should it somehow manage to pass everything thrown at it.

The incessant whinging about it is about on par as an irritant as the bill(s) themselves.

 

[Eredar Warlock]

Managed to get around the Wiki blackout by stopping the page loading before it switches to the blackout page.

Just like the world's most popular websites would be able to get around the bill should it somehow manage to pass everything thrown at it.

The incessant whinging about it is about on par as an irritant as the bill(s) themselves.

I can get around it because I am aggressive with NoScript.

It appears the Washington Post article is back up.

SOPA protests shut down Web sites - The Washington Post

 

[Netto Azure]

To me SOPA is just creating the same powers and tactics over the Internet that oppressive regimes use.

Except they're being handed over to the Entertainment Industry. >_>

Also the bills have broad bipartisan support fueled by RIAA money. So don't think "it won't pass" or something, unless pressure is kept up.

Next time it will probably be called the Stop Al Qaeda's Global Terrorism Network Act, like how those awful 5th Amendment shredding provisions were added in the NDRA. >__>

What Is SOPA?

Also I am surprised that I went from Rep. Janice Hahn's (CA-36) District to Rep. Henry Waxman's (CA-30) District and that his position on SOPA/PIPA is unknown considering he represents West Hollywood, Malibu and where some of the Entertainment industries people live.

 

[Infinity Mk-II]

I keep hearing people complaining about websites shutting down in protest.

Don't they understand that that's the whole point of it?! That they will be shut down if SOPA passes, so they are giving a taste of what could it be?

I'm ashamed they didn't go more hardcore with the protest, personally. You really shouldn't be able to get around Wikipedia's block.

And they WILL pass if not fought against fiercely. Our current society is ruled over by big companies, and the White House itself had to step in to stop it-- and that simply freezes it; it will be brought up again when given a chance.


I am not even American, but this thing WILL affect everyone who uses the internet.

 

[Raves]

I don't think even the Soviets did anything this drastic to curb free speech...

That the Nuzlocke forums joined in the protest says a lot about the opposition to this. I can't see the bill lasting much longer in the hands of the Fascist American Internet Gestapo.

 

[Lilac Hill]

I don't think even the Soviets did anything this drastic to curb free speech...

I wish I could assume that you are merely being hyperbolic, but I can't.

 

[Mijzelffan]

Spoiler

Wikipedia getting its message across to the userbase.

 

[Netto Azure]

Spoiler

Wikipedia getting its message across to the userbase.

Typical Internet reaction. Poking fun at something that is protesting something that threatens the entire way the stuff they're using works.

Also for people who want to ironically circumvent the Wiki's firewall. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

 

[Raves]

You should expect the idiots of the internet to say stuff like that.

However, true gentlemen use shower gel, not soap.

 

[Mijzelffan]

Typical Internet reaction. Poking fun at something that is protesting something that threatens the entire way the stuff they're using works.

Also for people who want to ironically circumvent the Wiki's firewall. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm sure half the people who say stuff like that actually don't get it. Like that one time facebook redirected to a page, if you came there from google, with an article that they didn't want people to use google to get there; thousands of replies with people bitching about how facebook's new lay-out sucked and that they wanted the old facebook back (the article wasn't even on facebook). A lot of people on the internet are just very stupid.

As for a better method to get to wikipedia, turn off javascript. That's what I did.

 

[Netto Azure]

I'm sure half the people who say stuff like that actually don't get it. Like that one time facebook redirected to a page, if you came there from google, with an article that they didn't want people to use google to get there; thousands of replies with people bitching about how facebook's new lay-out sucked and that they wanted the old facebook back (the article wasn't even on facebook). A lot of people on the internet are just very stupid.

As for a better method to get to wikipedia, turn off javascript. That's what I did.

I wouldn't say people are stupid. People are just more inclined to like the Status Quo.

Ah yes, but sadly so many things use JavaScript. I remember fully turning on NoScript once and was surprised at how many things were disabled. xD

Also this is a great demonstration of how the proposed bill could be oh so easily circumvented lulz.

 

[Bikini Miltank]

Managed to get around the Wiki blackout by stopping the page loading before it switches to the blackout page.

Just like the world's most popular websites would be able to get around the bill should it somehow manage to pass everything thrown at it.

Also this is a great demonstration of how the proposed bill could be oh so easily circumvented lulz.

Not really, no.

There's a reason why Wikipedia's block can be circumvented if you know what you're doing: it's because the pages are still there, just hidden by Javascript. They've done it this way because the alternative - taking down millions of pages completely, then putting them back up at the end of the day - would be server-intensive and very time consuming, not to mention potentially messing up search engine results and rankings for weeks to come.

If these bills were to pass, there would be some circumventable blocking of non-US sites, sure. But Wikipedia and many sites like it would cease to exist entirely. That's a much harder block to get around.

 

[Lilac Hill]

Wikipedia and many sites like it would cease to exist entirely.

So we are told.

 

[Bikini Miltank]

So we are told.

In a situation where websites can swiftly be hit just for linking to copyrighted content, I can't think of anything more at risk than a site with millions of pages, constantly open to anonymous edits.

Hell, a company with a grudge against Wikipedia - say, due to an unflattering article - could potentially edit said article with copyright infringing stuff, then immediately issue a take-down notice. There are numerous ways in which this legislation is open to flagrant abuse by businesses who would very much like to have embarrassing facts about them go unseen.

 

[Netto Azure]

Not really, no.

There's a reason why Wikipedia's block can be circumvented if you know what you're doing: it's because the pages are still there, just hidden by Javascript. They've done it this way because the alternative - taking down millions of pages completely, then putting them back up at the end of the day - would be server-intensive and very time consuming, not to mention potentially messing up search engine results and rankings for weeks to come.

If these bills were to pass, there would be some circumventable blocking of non-US sites, sure. But Wikipedia and many sites like it would cease to exist entirely. That's a much harder block to get around.

I know that. What I am trying to say is that the things the bills are targeting, "piracy" are not even going to be addressed at all. Still the DNS removal provisions highlighted by some news agencies is one of the things I was implying that is somewhat easy to bypass.

Still I defer to your argument.

 

[Lilac Hill]

In a situation where websites can swiftly be hit just for linking to copyrighted content, I can't think of anything more at risk than a site with millions of pages, constantly open to anonymous edits.

Hell, a company with a grudge against Wikipedia - say, due to an unflattering article - could potentially edit said article with copyright infringing stuff, then immediately issue a take-down notice. There are numerous ways in which this legislation is open to flagrant abuse by businesses who would very much like to have embarrassing facts about them go unseen.

Yes, I have heard this numerous times.

There is absolutely nothing to be frightened of because there is not, and has never been, a genuine chance of this becoming law, and even if it did, its application would be extremely difficult. Notwithstanding the fact that the law applies to only one country.