SOPA Strike?

[Sabat9]

I came here tonight to basically make this thread. Glad to see someone beat me to it for once.

 

The potential for SOPA and PIPA to affect the existence of The Nexus should be blatantly obvious to everyone.

 

It's not so much about bluntly blocking websites, as it is about throwing open the doors to endless intellectual property litigation.

 

This legislation, if it passes, will make it all to easy for companies such as Vivendi Universal to throw a massive chill on communities such as this one.

 

If Corporate Hollywood decides that they want a cut of whatever potential they see in sites like the Nexus, you can be sure that legislation like SOPA/PIPA will, for all intents and purposes, seal the deal in their favor from the beginning. Sites like the Nexus can only thrive if they remain independent and keep the focus on modding, not profits.

 

If you have 'em, call your representatives and senators. If you are outside the US and stand against this legislation, you can still boycott or write to companies that support it.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

 

 

Websites that host user content

 

Opponents have warned that SOPA would have a negative impact on online communities. Journalist Rebecca MacKinnon argued in an op-ed that making companies liable for users' actions could have a chilling effect on user-generated sites such as YouTube. "The intention is not the same as China’s Great Firewall, a nationwide system of Web censorship, but the practical effect could be similar," she says.[29] The Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) warned that websites Etsy, Flickr and Vimeo all seemed likely to shut down if the bill becomes law.[30] Policy analysts for New America Foundation say this legislation would enable law enforcement to take down an entire domain due to something posted on a single blog, arguing, "an entire largely innocent online community could be punished for the actions of a tiny minority."[31]

 

Additional concerns include the impact on common Internet functions such as linking or access data from the cloud. EFF claimed the bill would ban linking to sites deemed offending, even in search results[32] and on services such as Twitter.[33] Christian Dawson, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Virginia-based hosting company ServInt, predicted that the legislation would lead to many cloud computing and Web hosting services moving out of the US to avoid lawsuits.[34] The Electronic Frontier Foundation have stated that the requirement that any site must self-police user generated content would impose significant liability costs and explains "why venture capitalists have said en masse they won’t invest in online startups if PIPA and SOPA pass."[35]

 

Proponents of the bill countered these claims, arguing that filtering is already common. Michael O'Leary of the MPAA testified on November 16 that the act's effect on business would be more minimal, noting that at least 16 countries already block websites, and that the Internet still functions in those countries.[36] MPAA Chairman Chris Dodd noted that Google figured out how to block sites when China requested it.[37] Some ISPs in Denmark, Finland, Ireland and Italy blocked The *not allowed* after courts ruled in favor of music and film industry litigation, and a coalition of film and record companies has threatened to sue British Telecom if it does not follow suit.[38] Maria Pallante of the US Copyright Office said that Congress has updated the Copyright Act before and should again, or "the U.S. copyright system will ultimately fail." Asked for clarification, she said that the US currently lacks jurisdiction over websites in other countries.[36]

 

Edited January 18, 2012 by Sabat9

[CapnLilNemo]

I appreciate the symbolism, but I don't see how shutting off traffic to this site for one day will prevent a bill in another country from passing.

Couldn't hurt. I for one totally support any website shutting down for the day with a link to an anti-SOPA site. If you could just shut it down for the US that would be all that is really needed, although Wiki is going down worldwide.

[samadchaz]

I think its going to effect because the file servers are in US right?

[Luminiari]

...So TL;DR I can be attacked for my Persocom race, and Nexus may take the hit because the file is hosted here?

 

*Slow clap*

 

Don't you just LOVE politics?

[Arthmoor]

Do people even realize that this law is nothing more than the overseas version of the DMCA? Complete with the same sort of notice and takedown procedure the DMCA has, along with many of the same safe harbor style protections?

 

You can't simply throw a notice out there and have a site removed from the internet. There are specific due process provisions in the bill. Everyone has gotten themselves into a massive uproar over... nothing. Don't swallow the EFF's propaganda on this. This bill has no more potential to squash free speech on the internet than the DMCA did.

 

It's entire purpose is geared toward dealing with sites that traffic in stolen property, counterfeit goods, and pirated games/movies/music. Nexus has nothing to fear unless there are pirated goods being trafficked with their knowledge. Wikipedia has nothing to fear unless their site is complicit in aiding and abetting counterfeiters, etc.

 

What I find hilarious is that 99% of those opposed to this legislation exist within the target demographic it's aimed at, and many of the bigger tech names in the field have glommed onto it without knowing WTF they're talking about because it's a popular thing. This is the Occupy movement of the web, nothing more. A bunch of entitlement crazed people mad that they're stolen stuff is finally going to get taken away.

[FlyingHigh10000000]

Do people even realize that this law is nothing more than the overseas version of the DMCA? Complete with the same sort of notice and takedown procedure the DMCA has, along with many of the same safe harbor style protections?

 

You can't simply throw a notice out there and have a site removed from the internet. There are specific due process provisions in the bill. Everyone has gotten themselves into a massive uproar over... nothing. Don't swallow the EFF's propaganda on this. This bill has no more potential to squash free speech on the internet than the DMCA did.

 

It's entire purpose is geared toward dealing with sites that traffic in stolen property, counterfeit goods, and pirated games/movies/music. Nexus has nothing to fear unless there are pirated goods being trafficked with their knowledge. Wikipedia has nothing to fear unless their site is complicit in aiding and abetting counterfeiters, etc.

 

What I find hilarious is that 99% of those opposed to this legislation exist within the target demographic it's aimed at, and many of the bigger tech names in the field have glommed onto it without knowing WTF they're talking about because it's a popular thing. This is the Occupy movement of the web, nothing more. A bunch of entitlement crazed people mad that they're stolen stuff is finally going to get taken away.

 

Whoa there pardner, no need to get in a rage because people are seeing the truth for what it is. If you seriously think Occupy is "a bunch of entitlement crazed people mad they they're stolen stuff is finally going to get taken away." you've got another thing coming. Why don't you read before posting, or at least use spellcheck? You come across as very ignorant of the idealogy behind SOPA and PIPA, and even more ignorant of Occupy and its roots.

 

 

It's not an "overseas version of the DMCA" either. DMCA is a United States copyright law, and SOPA and PIPA are proposed United States copyright laws/blacklists. Dunno what you've been reading.

Edited January 18, 2012 by FlyingHigh10000000

[Arthmoor]

Ah, the retort of one without a counter-argument. Seriously, grammar and spell check is all you've got? Which isn't much since everything is spelled correctly and the grammar is close enough for government work.

 

People are not seeing the truth for what it is. They're seeing what they want to see. Including seeing boogie men where there are none.

 

You clearly are not paying enough due diligence to this issue if you think that 90% of the opposition isn't people worried that *not allowed* is about to get shut down. The other 10% are just big name corporations who want to seem trendy and cool with the same audience because their traffic generates revenue.

 

The only clueless ones here are Hollywood elites who think you can turn off piracy with a switch. The failure of the DMCA to change anything should have taught them that.

 

Yes, the Occupy movement is nothing but spoiled brats with art degrees whining and moaning they can't find work. They drone on and on about evil corporations all while organizing their stupid disruptions using the very products those evil corporations produce. Their rage is undirected, and purposeless. George Soros should get a refund on the money he wasted on that one.

 

A good read, from someone with a sane, balanced opinion on the subject: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/17/beyond_sopa/

Edited January 18, 2012 by Arthmoor

[NorthWolf]

The Nexus series of sites would have a high susceptibility to SOPA, which would potentially inconvenience (or worse) a good deal of its contributors and premium members. You guys are pretty fast about taking down infringing content and are generally anti-piracy but you're also not that major of a player and do have to content with infringment and anti-piracy issues frequently, as can be easily discerned from the ban logs. I would appreciate it if the Nexus would consider doing some sort of stand, at least for its US audience, since it would be nice to raise awareness.

 

As for your points, Arthmoor, this bill might be aimed at combating piracy but it will utterly fail to do so, as you yourself admit. If you want some counter to your points, your statistics have no basis and you've offered no proof that these large corporations are moving against SOPA because it's popular. They're likely moving against SOPA because it threatens to harm their commercial interests, which is pretty self-evident in a lot of the companies taking active action to protest SOPA. Any publicity is a bonus I imagine they're not complaining about, but I'd say none of the major names we hear protesting need the publicity anyway... why would they bother?

 

That being said, a bill like this is simply going to threaten freedom on the internet needlessly while being completely meaningless to pirates. Is it the doomsday that everyone thinks? I sincerely doubt it, but it will have implications and it will be best to stop it than hope for the best. When they can create a sane way to litigate this stuff, then it's worth considering.

Edited January 18, 2012 by NorthWolf

[ginnyfizz]

Arthmoor, thank goodness for another voice of reason. Whilst I do think SOPA is worrying from one angle because of the potential for abuse if someone were to make a malicious report, you are right. Reading the Bill makes it clear that it is pirate sites and sites selling counterfeit trademarked goods that it is aimed at.

 

Since I am not a pirate, and the Nexus is not a pirate site, that's why I am not personally too worried about it.

 

However, whilst blocking websites is one thing, I hope it doesn't lead to more sledgehammer to crack a nut incidents, like the British guy facing extradition for having a site that had links to torrent sites (just posting links to them is not an offence here.) The effect of SOPA would be to get the search engines to stop sites like that appearing in search engines, US ISP's to block the sites and getting Paypal et al to not deal with such sites.

[NorthWolf]

Arthmoor, thank goodness for another voice of reason. Whilst I do think SOPA is worrying from one angle because of the potential for abuse if someone were to make a malicious report, you are right. Reading the Bill makes it clear that it is pirate sites and sites selling counterfeit trademarked goods that it is aimed at.

 

Since I am not a pirate, and the Nexus is not a pirate site, that's why I am not personally too worried about it.

 

However, whilst blocking websites is one thing, I hope it doesn't lead to more sledgehammer to crack a nut incidents, like the British guy facing extradition for having a site that had links to torrent sites (just posting links to them is not an offence here.) The effect of SOPA would be to get the search engines to stop sites like that appearing in search engines, US ISP's to block the sites and getting Paypal et al to not deal with such sites.

Respectfully I think less hyperbole is needed to be a voice of reason. You're a good example of a voice of reason. :smile: While I understand what Arthmoor is getting at, SOPA isn't something that should be endorsed either if you're a regular peon, in my opinion. The reason people are panicking is because of the potential for abuse and sledgehammer-for-a-fly scenarios... it's pretty high! On the other hand, the attempt to impose restrictions on pirates is unlikely to be successful, which largely defeats the bill's purpose.

 

Personally I'm just a proponent of a free internet. It's a big part of my life so it's important to me. But there are good, logical reasons to oppose the bill aside from fear mongering or being an internet dweller like yours truly. :cool:

Edited January 18, 2012 by NorthWolf