SOPA: So what can the rest of the world do about it?!

[LostTimeLady]

(I did a search, I don't think this has come up yet, sorry if it has, anyway,)

Ok folks, I'll be brief, all this PROTECT IP and SOPA stuff has been kicking around the internet in full force recently. But riddle me this, this is an American bill that will having reaching enough powers that any AMERICAN company can shut down ANY website that infringes on its copyright. Right?

Yeah, except the internet isn't owned by America and neither are a lot (more than a lot!) of websites (might we all be reminded that it was CERN that invented the internet, and guess what, they're based on the French-Swiss boarder, so not American), so what can the rest of us do to stop this wholy unfair and damaging bill being past?

I'm being serious here, how much would this bill effect the rest of the world if it was passed?

Americans, help us out here, help us to help you to help us,

Non-Americans, your thoughts?

Discuss!

 

[LostTimeLady]

they can only stop any website based in the US, although they could (theoretically ofc) IP block websites based on such banned content.

The big problem with that is you are removing a huge audience (we are talking 1/2 of the english speaking internet users, and depending on how much of china uses the internet 1/3 of the global audience, thats not small potatoes. Its a real threat to how sites like youtube continue to operate. (because they would have to be complicit in the content banning or face a continent sized IP block)

I see. Yeah, I definately agree that the big knock will be to sites that rely heavily on a very large preportion of english speaking users.

 

[jacobythehedgehog]

Im from Canada. I just have this funny feeling it is going to come and bite me in the butt if this bill passes. And I see it going world wide if it passes in the States. Thats just my opinion. I could be really wrong.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Surely all any company needs to do is move its servers outside the US, thus losing the US a fuckton of tax revenue?

Hell just threaten to do that and, damn, I was going to claim that the politicians would just roll over, but of course, the money they're getting from big business overshadows the tax money by far, and they can't spend government tax money on coke and hookers.

I honestly wonder if the amount of money, time and energy spent battling piracy isn't actually more than the REAL amount lost because of it. Not 'potential' or 'projected' losses, as that's what makes the police value recovered marijuana at $5000 an ounce, to make for good headlines.

I do sense that if it was all moved to some tiny island somewhere to get around dumb US laws that came in, that island would soon be discovered to be harbouring known terrorists, and there'd be 'military action' taken on it.

I do however believe that the really talented hackers of the world are not working for governments, and any serious dick moves will earn some serious retaliation.

I almost look forward to the day when there's a big presentation live on TV and when the button is pressed to restrict the public's freedoms, a large goatse image pops up with the message 'you have achieved nothing, lol'.

Every day I fear I'm slipping more into tin hat conspiracy theory land, but is it possible this is less about piracy and criminality in general and more about control.

It sure would be handy to be able to shut down 'Occupy' sites, with some vague claim of 'illegal activity' for example, wouldn't it?

 

[Sir Shockwave]

I think this video best sums up how best it will affect the non-american users:

http://vimeo.com/31100268

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Rise of Orwellian culture.

 

[Wargamer]

I don't even understand how it's gotten this far; Yankies are gun-toting psychopaths who jerk off on Freedom of Speech, and the government is attempting to pass the 1984 Bill.

HOW HAS NOBODY IN WASHINGTON BEEN SHOT YET?

 

[Kahunaburger]

It's not going to work - it's unconstitutional and doesn't have the votes to pass. If it was (and if it was remotely enforceable), I'm pretty sure people outside the US wouldn't have too much to worry about. We'd be over here doing the whole China thing, and y'all would benefit from the entire tech sector leaving this country for greener shores.

 

[Wargamer]

It's not going to work - it's unconstitutional and doesn't have the votes to pass. If it was, I'm pretty sure people outside the US wouldn't have too much to worry about. We'd be over here doing the whole China thing, and y'all would benefit from the entire tech sector leaving this country for greener shores.

Being unconstitutional doesn't matter; they can change the constitution to make it constitutional!

If it passes in America, other countries will follow suit. At least here in the UK I can do something about it; I can literally walk up to the front door of my local political representative (since I know where they live), and voice my disapproval. I can also remind him that I know where he lives, and that whilst I do not always agree with what he says I am willing to make him die for his beliefs.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I think the US Government is about to bite a hornet's nest in half.

And that nest can't be pepper-sprayed this time.

 

[Kahunaburger]

It's not going to work - it's unconstitutional and doesn't have the votes to pass. If it was, I'm pretty sure people outside the US wouldn't have too much to worry about. We'd be over here doing the whole China thing, and y'all would benefit from the entire tech sector leaving this country for greener shores.

Being unconstitutional doesn't matter; they can change the constitution to make it constitutional!

If it passes in America, other countries will follow suit. At least here in the UK I can do something about it; I can literally walk up to the front door of my local political representative (since I know where they live), and voice my disapproval. I can also remind him that I know where he lives, and that whilst I do not always agree with what he says I am willing to make him die for his beliefs.

They can theoretically change the constitution, but that's a lot harder than you seem to think it is. If we can't pass a budget both parties can agree on without elaborate legislative games, we also won't be able to pass massive China-style censorship.

 

[jonyboy13]

I think the US Government is about to bite a hornet's nest in half.

And that nest can't be pepper-sprayed this time.

I really don't see the hackers taking this bill politely. Lulz are bound to happen either way.

Why'd you change the pic? Hard to recognize the awesome comments now.

 

[ElPatron]

Yeah, except the internet isn't owned by America and neither are a lot (more than a lot!) of websites

Yet they have a huge load of servers and nodes that are needed. We would have to re-route certain connections. YouTube, TwitchTV, etc will be affected.



Basically we have to build our own part of internet and leave the Americans out of it. Our own search engines to replace Google, etc.

Besides, if the US passes this bill other countries will follow suit.

 

[Wargamer]

They can theoretically change the constitution, but that's a lot harder than you seem to think it is. If we can't pass a budget both parties can agree on without elaborate legislative games, we also won't be able to pass massive China-style censorship.

The US is run predominently by old men who probably think the "internet" is some kind of word processor you install and run. They sure as fuck won't use it the way normal people do, and odds are it's never been explained to them in any way beyond "it's a way for people to steal movies and music which we can't properly control or tax."

 

[galdon2004]

I don't think this bill is enforceable; you can't strong arm something that exists in a different country because of your personal laws. Just like you can't send a US police officer to Germany to arrest someone for doing something that is illegal in the US, so you can't force a website that exists in another country to shut down for breaking a US law.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I think the US Government is about to bite a hornet's nest in half.

And that nest can't be pepper-sprayed this time.

I really don't see the hackers taking this bill politely. Lulz are bound to happen either way.

Why'd you change the pic? Hard to recognize the awesome comments now.

I've got to write a 50,000 word novel by the end of November. Having that there reminds me not to keep procrastinating. The cat will be back soon

 

[Kahunaburger]

They can theoretically change the constitution, but that's a lot harder than you seem to think it is. If we can't pass a budget both parties can agree on without elaborate legislative games, we also won't be able to pass massive China-style censorship.

The US is run predominently by old men who probably think the "internet" is some kind of word processor you install and run. They sure as fuck won't use it the way normal people do, and odds are it's never been explained to them in any way beyond "it's a way for people to steal movies and music which we can't properly control or tax."

And? Trust me, the tech sector has enough lobbyists to ensure that legislators have a working concept of what does and doesn't work re: the internets.

 

[Melon Hunter]

I think people are waking up to the danger this bill presents, thanks in no small part to the campaigning of American Censorship and all the websites and web users supporting them. The thing is, the opposition pressure on this bill is growing to unsustainable proportions. Hell, even the European Parliament spoke out against SOPA, saying it gave far too many powers to the wrong people. I think the point is summed up by this:

They can theoretically change the constitution, but that's a lot harder than you seem to think it is. If we can't pass a budget both parties can agree on without elaborate legislative games, we also won't be able to pass massive China-style censorship.

The US is run predominently by old men who probably think the "internet" is some kind of word processor you install and run. They sure as fuck won't use it the way normal people do, and odds are it's never been explained to them in any way beyond "it's a way for people to steal movies and music which we can't properly control or tax."

Many governments are filled with technophobes who have no idea how the Internet is run or how it should be run. They don't understand it, so they're scared of it, and it must be crippled and controlled or shut down entirely so they can go back to their comfort zone. Look at things like the uninformed blathering of Keith Vaz MP about Modern Warfare 3. So, I hope this bill dies in Congress without it having to be declared void by the Supreme Court for being unconstitutional or the President having to veto it. These politicians need to understand that the rights of the people must come before the revenues of corporations.

 

[Syzygy23]

they can only stop any website based in the US, although they could (theoretically ofc) IP block websites based on such banned content.

The big problem with that is you are removing a huge audience (we are talking 1/2 of the english speaking internet users, and depending on how much of china uses the internet 1/3 of the global audience, thats not small potatoes. Its a real threat to how sites like youtube continue to operate. (because they would have to be complicit in the content banning or face a continent sized IP block)

Good point. But now youtube is owned by Google, and they have a lotta money backing them up, so I'm sure if the public doesn't stop the SOPA bill, Google will.