Acknowledging Blackout, Politicians Ditch SOPA

[Naeras]

Can I ask where you read that that is the case?

The fact that it's more severe than DMCA isn't something I think I need to explain. The more-easily-abused-part, however, is due to the term "rogue website" not being defined anywhere near well enough in the bill, so if someone want something down, they can just say that they considered it to be a rogue site for pretty much whatever reason they want, and get away with it.

I mean, that's what they're doing with (and getting away with) Pro-IP and DMCA even today, and a lot of the stuff they shut down is in no way justified of a takedown. An example I can get from the top of my head is when Universal shut down a music video where several artists tried to raise awareness around the fact that they got Megaupload DNS-blocked, by claiming that it "violated their copyrights". It didn't violate their copyrights at all, yet they got the video removed from Youtube anyways. Would you seriously want to give these guys even bigger guns, especially when the gun in question is made to "stop piracy", but piracy is pretty much the only thing it won't affect?

 

[natster43]

Good job internet, you are a credit to the force. I goes to show that people can make a difference.

 

[Erttheking]

VICTORY! WE HAVE VICTORY! And this time, STAY DEAD!

 

[jawakiller]

O.O

Somebody say FIRE-FUCKING-FLY?
Where do I sign?

Oh, hurrah for sopa being pretty fucked and all...

 

[darthotaku]

think of all the money video game, movie, and music companies poured into sopa. now imagine that instead of trying to censure the internet, they instead invested all that cash into moving into a profitable internet based business model. Yeah, not only did they piss everyone off, but they pissed away millions that will never give them a return investment.
way to go sopa guys. take that empty pocket, fill it with Fuck You and know that We, The Internet, put it there. Can I get a "hell yeah" for properly done capitalism?

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Posting now as I waited until the 19th to use the net, MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!

ACTIVISM RULES!

Especially the activism that only needs me to do other things.

 

[razor343]

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.

Damnit! So I have -,-

Oh well, that mission can come in a DLC pack.

 

[Eefness]

While this is a great victory for the right sides it feels like most of them or more or less realizing that supporting a very widely unpopular bill more or less reduces their chances to get reelected\Put back into office.

Still good if not exactly for the right reasons.

 

[spartan231490]

It will return. Now that they have the NDAA in place, it's only a matter of time before they censor the media. All media. Especially the internet. I give it a year, two at most before an even worse bill is passed.

 

[shado_temple]

I don't know folks; it seems like people are declaring victory a bit too early.

Spoiler: Relevant photo inside

Just because a few politicians have dropped back a bit on their support doesn't mean either bill is defeated.

 

[StriderShinryu]

This is excellent news. I just hope it doesn't stop the movement. Until these bills are totally dead in the water, or watered down to the point where they actually do what they are supposed to do and absolutely nothing else (assuming that's even possible), there is still risk that they will squeak through. To state it in a military sense, one victory can turn the tide, but one victory does not win the war.

 

[duchaked]

lol nice to slip the Firefly cause in there as well (which I wholeheartedly support)

but yeah one day without Wikipedia to stop SOPA...psh no prob!

 

[DTWolfwood]

shocking that these representatives remember what it meant to represent. :O

 

[geizr]

While reading comments on Ars Technica regarding SOPA/PIPA, I ran across a comment that linked to this cartoon on DeviantArt that succinctly portrays the outright duplicity of the content corporations.

The link to the DeviantArt page is http://chadrocco.deviantart.com/art/SOPA-PIPA-Executive-E-Motions-280090484 [http://chadrocco.deviantart.com/art/SOPA-PIPA-Executive-E-Motions-280090484]

You can also read the Ars Technica article on the response of the content industry to the Internet blackout here: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/hollywood-fights-internet-protest-with-tv-ad-billboard.ars [http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/hollywood-fights-internet-protest-with-tv-ad-billboard.ars]

ADDENDUM: I will admit that I sympathize with a company's need to derive revenue and profit from their works and efforts. However, I will not agree with the abhorrently shitty methods they have used to go about it. It has been argued that piracy is not an issue of criminal behavior; it's an issue of obsolete/anachronistic business models and failed customer service. I am strongly inclined to agree with that argument.

EDIT: minor grammatical edit.

 

[rutger5000]

In my opinion internet belongs to among the three greatest gifts science could ever give to humanity. Cencoring it is bascially equal to giving up to humankind.
But I understand the polticans. The Arabian spring showed the world the true power of the internet, for those with power this power is perhaps to be feared.