Acknowledging Blackout, Politicians Ditch SOPA

[samsonguy920]

Wow. I just have to say, WOW. Now to hear the ESA's response to the promises of a very quiet E3 if they don't back off SOPA. That would be so delicious...

I'm a bit disappointed that Google hasn't completely shut down its service, worldwide, in protest to SOPA and PIPA. That would have sent an even clearer message to the masses on top of everything else.

There needs to be room for escalation if the Bill moves further towards completion. Today was more of a warning shot from the Internet. A much more stringent blackout could conceivably happen if SOPA/PIPA don't die in the next round.

I was just thinking earlier today the outcry if Valve chipped in and shut down Steam for a day. No updates, no chats, no community, no downloads, no sales. Because you know if PIPA or SOPA passed, EA would try everything they could to use it against Steam.

 

[WolfThomas]

I love the sense of internet camaraderie coming out of this issue. I wonder when it's going to evaporate back to the same old internet.

Also:

 

[Ashannon Blackthorn]

Objective: Damage SOPA Complete!

Current Objective: Eradicate SOPA

Bonus Objective: Eradicate PIPA

Next Objective: USE INTERNET TO BRING ABOUT WORLD PEACE!

You missed Break the power of the RIAA, MPAA and the various media moguls who are the makers of a lot of this nonsense.

 

[ShaneGunWolf]

People across the world, of all ethnicity's and religions banding together for a common cause. Never thought i'd see the day, its beautiful.

This. A million times.

Victory, thy name is the Internet.

 

[bootz]

I'm playing the final fantasy fanfare over and over again
Internets You're Winner!

 

[dystopiaINC]

I'm a bit disappointed that Google hasn't completely shut down its service, worldwide, in protest to SOPA and PIPA. That would have sent an even clearer message to the masses on top of everything else.

Today was more of a WARNING SHOT from the Internet.

Why did I picture an Iowa class battleship firing a broadside at capitol hill when I read that? Awesome imagery is awesome...(I love my imagination)

Glorious...

THERE IS NO KILL LIKE OVERKILL!

glorious indeed. hahaha XD

 

[Prince Regent]

W00T way to go internet.

 

[Metalrocks]

No doubt I am smiling more then I could ever remember, probably more then the time I first got Skyrim. This is indeed a wonderful day due to having a good time in College learning about subjects I like, getting with a girl I like (ALOT), eating out at my favorite restraunt, and now this happens. Wow, the 18th turned out to be a great day for not only me but mainly the entire internet!! Sweet ^_^.

Still, I sort of feel anger toward the Congressmen. It's good that they are ditching the bill and even asking others to drop the support.. yet, for them to take this long doing so all because their money/jobs were at stake makes me shake my head. I mean, the whole public if not other countries protested but they still continued to try passing the bill. It took major websites to black out on purpose for them to retreat. That's sad if you ask me.

so true, but well, politicians always take their time.
see it this way, at least it dint came that far that the bill passed and everything got locked down. so we still can be happy that at least action has been taken

 

[Twilight_guy]

Now, imagine if Google decided to turn off its search engine for a day. Think of how many people that would hit and how much shit Congress would be in right now.

Internet activism doesn't work. Having millions of people that rely on a service and turning it off to affect political change works.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

It was obvious that bill was never going be passed. If anything it does more harm than good to the entertainment companies, especially as far as free advertising and fans forwarding trailers etc It was a sledge hammer to break a peanut. Hopefully they will edit the bill to be more specificly targeted at pirates and not those people that are true fans of a certain film, game or music and is spreading the word on the net.

 

[Dr_Pie]

If SOPA and PIPA get stopped outright, there's just gonna be another piece of legislation exactly like it down the line (probably later this year)

It's not going to stop until people with knowledge to understand this stuff is bad get elected into office.

 

[TimeLord]

I'm surprised that the blackout actually achieved what it did. If it was just sites like 4chan going down then politicians would probably have said "Oh look, the Internet is being cute again". But with big name sites like Google and Wikipidia taking part, it gets noticed!

The battle is won, now bring out the big guns to win the war!

 

[rabidmidget]

Wait, so internet protests have power?

I...I need to go re-evaluate my basic beliefs.

 

[Exocet]

I'm guessing the politicians that changed their minds are the ones who realized the free porn sites would be down, and the mere thought of having it down for 24 hour, during the blackout, made them flip out.
So, yay for porn?

By the way, I wrote this listening to Guile's theme, and the subject of my post and that theme go strangely hand in hand. Damn, it really fits with ANYTHING.
Take note Casanovas reading this.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Spoiler: Go Team Internets!

I actually cheered out loud when I saw it was on the front page of the BBC website. Thanks big web companies, like wikipedia, for having your heads screwed on!

I think it might actually have slipped under the public radar if not for the blackout.

 

[Naeras]

A victory for ignorance.

If you think not, ask yourself did you read the bill, and how many of your sources which told you SOPA was bad quoted the Bill?

Yes. You have just been used by corporations that were against the bill for financial reasons.

Now that you realize your shortcoming's, here's something you can learn to prevent making the same mistake. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method]

Shouldn't the fact that this thing is both more severe and more easily abused than the DMCA make a pretty solid point for why this thing shouldn't pass in the first place?

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Good to know activism does work, but we'll have to keep working at it.

ROW ROW FIGHT THE POWAH!