It has begun.

[brunothepig]

Spoiler: Snip

SNIP

SNIP

Ohhh, I didn't realise xD

Kinda defeats the point I find, I mean, some people won't really see SOPA as a bad thing because they can still get on one of the biggest sites on the internet.

Well, they're still drawing a lot of attention. And the information on how to get around it is with all the information on what SOPA is and how they can help and stuff. Basically, visit Wikipedia and you're going to see this page saying "we don't like SOPA/PIPA. You shouldn't either". If anyone is remotely interested, they will likely at least read more. I wouldn't underestimate the impact Wikipedia will make.

In fact, this is more synonymous with a typical protest "in real life". They still have functionality, but it's still impossible to ignore the cluster of people outside the front of your building. Or website, as the case may be.

On another note, Escapist finally went dark. I was actually expecting all the white to be black, but oh well. At least there was another petition for me to sign on the logo.

Completely understand what you mean and do agree. I'm just negatively thinking about those who're *very* oblivious or ignorant to the whole thing who would soon kick up a fuss *if* the bill came into force.
I posted about it a bit on my Facebook and some people feel that it's only a thing for "geeks" and that to worry about :/

Ohh, just noticed the Escapist, too! Awesome!

Yeah, but most of those people wouldn't do a thing no matter what anyone does. It's a shame, but I think Wikipedia are doing all they can, now it's up to the people.
Sorry to hear about your friends. Practically everyone in my social circle is a geek, so we're all just tallying up all the sites that are going dark and laughing gleefully. I am loving that I'm seeing a few bands I follow (most notably Job For A Cowboy) protesting the very bills that are apparently to protect them. It is delicious.

 

[Maveroid]

Google changed the logo.

What's happened to the Google logo? Or do I have to be in the states to see that?

On a side note, it's a slightly frustrating day to be on the web as a non-American. Going to sites I like and being faced with huge banners with "STOP SOPA!!! WRITE TO YOUR SENATOR!!!!!!"

It's like they're judging me for doing nothing. _>

Trust me, YOUR government would like to censor the internet too, America's government is just the first one stupid enough to actually really try it.

its politics, you will always get involved even when you don't want to, and you will always think that you have nothing to do with it. If SOPA does not pass, most likely other countries will take note and not try to do it. I actually remember the last years of my life in Germany where the news were all over Internet censorship/anonymity and such.

In the end, the only true offender are the people pirating and giving these politicians a reasons to even attempt something like this. It does not matter what your opinion about piracy is, it is the excuse that they are using for this so its kind of 'our' collective fault.

 

[jboking]

I was honestly interested to see that the escapist wasn't fully blacked-out.

 

[Torrasque]

I just went to Wikipedia and they started the blackout. Google changed the logo. What's your plans for the day? I'm watching my parents freak out. xD

Your parents are actually making a big deal about SOPA? Thats pretty awesome actually, most parents that I know are net noobs.

My plans for the day are to be on the net as little as possible since the internet without Wikipedia is like a book without Indentations or breaks in dialogue; I can still read the book, but it irritates the fuck out of me.

 

[Lizardon]

SMBC joined in as well, although one the links given for more information leads to a Wikipedia page. Someone didn't think that through.

Nice to see The Escapist going dark as well.

 

[SilentCom]

Dear congress,

Please stop sucking and give us our internet back.
Yours truly, SilentCom

 

[Pebkio]

For today, I've gone the opposite direction and became a pirate. I've been making random posts on where to get pirated files, how to get around blocked dns entries, how to even pirate music and movies (but not games, for I know not the programing needed).

SOPA/PIPA: Honest sites might be taken down, but at least there will still be pirated material.

 

[dvd_72]

Seems to me it's only the american pages that are down. here in england I still can get to facebook and google. Dissapointing really, as blacking these pages out world wide would get the message out world wide, and then create world wide pressure on the US to finaly kill this bill.

Ah, a man can dream.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

http://imgur.com/qTpM5

Is a really easy way to circumvent it if you very much need to use wikipedia today. Would write a script if it was any longer.

Tomorrow should be quite interesting to see how much back-pedalling the politicians do.

I'm sorry that is an awful way to circumvent their blockage and I don't really feel like divulging the other way as it makes their protest pointless and it should be relatively easy to see.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

And my response is to not give a sh*t. I believe in copyright and IP. If SOPA is what's needed to support that, then I support SOPA.

Shut down the entire internet and I still wont care. It's just one day FFS.

If we as a species cant handle a day without the internet then we are doomed far worse than any ammount of harm "censorship" can do.

I really do not understand people of this opinion what so ever. As much as stuff like Piracy needs to be fought against and stopped stuff like piracy that needs finesse, innovation and tact to be stopped will never be ceased or even hindered by such heavy handed hamfisted tactics. The only people this will actually harm is everyone but pirates as it most affects domains and not the ip.

 

[Syzygy23]

I just went to Wikipedia and they started the blackout. Google changed the logo. What's your plans for the day? I'm watching my parents freak out. xD

Wow, way to be a complete chickenshit google. Changing your logo is NOT the same thing as blacking out AT ALL.

What, were they afraid if they blacked out for one day everyone would suddenly start using Bing? Really? You think if we had the choice between "not using the internet" and "using bing" that we'd EVER use bing? Bing couldn't find the broadside of a barn, it'd be easier to just go to my local library to look shit up.

 

[RaikuFA]

My brother thinks this was made to distract people from that NDAA bill.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

And my response is to not give a sh*t. I believe in copyright and IP. If SOPA is what's needed to support that, then I support SOPA.

Shut down the entire internet and I still wont care. It's just one day FFS.

If we as a species cant handle a day without the internet then we are doomed far worse than any ammount of harm "censorship" can do.

I really do not understand people of this opinion what so ever. As much as stuff like Piracy needs to be fought against and stopped stuff like piracy that needs finesse, innovation and tact to be stopped will never be ceased or even hindered by such heavy handed hamfisted tactics. The only people this will actually harm is everyone but pirates as it most affects domains and not the ip.

And I still really dont care. I support a complete shut-down and dismantling of the internet if that is what is necessary. There is nothing sacred about the internet, and I have full faith that it will be rebuilt. So what is there to lose save for the tears of a bunch of entitled sociopaths that will miss their free(stolen) music, tv shows, movies, and porn.

QQ MOAR maybe the God you dont believe in will take mercy upon you and show up to save your gravy train.

Oh ok now I understand you just like being one of those people.

 

[ElPatron]

A way to get passed Wiki's Blackout has been tending on Twitter. It does work too, which is such a shame.

1. Anyone who searches for said solution, has already been informed of SOPA and PIPA
2. The wiki itself has a page with the sollution
3. Some people need wikipedia. They can't just shut it down because there might be people who need it.

 

[Greni]

And I still really dont care. I support a complete shut-down and dismantling of the internet if that is what is necessary. There is nothing sacred about the internet, and I have full faith that it will be rebuilt. So what is there to lose save for the tears of a bunch of entitled sociopaths that will miss their free(stolen) music, tv shows, movies, and porn.

QQ MOAR maybe the God you dont believe in will take mercy upon you and show up to save your gravy train.

Oh, hey Rorschach, didn't see you come in.

 

[ms_sunlight]

Trust me, YOUR government would like to censor the internet too, America's government is just the first one stupid enough to actually really try it.

No, that would be China. They've been censoring for years. Only difference is, their censorship is enforced by people with guns who can arrest and imprison you.

I'm actually slightly bemused by the anti-SOPA hyperbole. Yes, it's a bad law, but why are people so up in arms about this? Do people really think it's going to be the Imminent Death Of The Net [http://catb.org/jargon/html/I/Imminent-Death-Of-The-Net-Predicted-.html]? Firstly, the worst of the bleak doom predictions are unlikely as even media conglomerates live or die by public opinion. Secondly, without China-style totalitarian measures, it's unenforceable.

 

[FalloutJack]

And now the escapist has a black background, and bars over the logo.
I kind of like the background. Easier on the eyes.

Jack wants the black background to stay.

 

[Psychedelic Spartan]

my plans are over, I'm taking midterms, got my 3rd and 4th of the six done today.

 

[lacktheknack]

They are doing it to raise awareness, and you made a thread to raise awareness of their raising awareness.

Where you trying to to be meta intentionally, or was it a total accident?

And now you raised awareness of his raising of awareness of their raising of awareness.

My head hurts.

And now you've raised awareness of that.

You just meta'd his observation of meta.

And I just meta'd that.

IT'S AN INFINITE CYCLE

 

[General Vagueness]

And my response is to not give a sh*t. I believe in copyright and IP. If SOPA is what's needed to support that, then I support SOPA.

Shut down the entire internet and I still wont care. It's just one day FFS.

If we as a species cant handle a day without the internet then we are doomed far worse than any ammount of harm "censorship" can do.

I wasn't aware of anyone here complaining about the blackouts so I don't know who this is aimed at.
Anyway it's not what's needed and censorship can be harmful than you seem to realize.

And I still really dont care. I support a complete shut-down and dismantling of the internet if that is what is necessary. There is nothing sacred about the internet, and I have full faith that it will be rebuilt. So what is there to lose save for the tears of a bunch of entitled sociopaths that will miss their free(stolen) music, tv shows, movies, and porn.

QQ MOAR maybe the God you dont believe in will take mercy upon you and show up to save your gravy train.

Again, that's massive overkill, we shouldn't have to rebuild the Internet (which is an inaccurate way to put it in the first place), and there's no real way to know what would be lost until the full destructive force is brought to bear.