The Internet Blackout

[Space Jawa]

If Google goes down for a day that could kill SOPA stone dead...

Or alternatively, it would just drive their customers to go use one of the other dozens of search engines out there. Do you really think people are that attached to Google that they'd refuse to use any other search engine and go complain to the government rather than saying "hey, I wonder if I can find what I'm looking for on Bing or Yahoo instead?"?

That's probably the major reason why Wikipedia is doing this while these other major websites are making a token effort. Wikipedia, unlike sites such as Google or Newsgrounds, is more a non-profit based organization that runs off of donations (you know, the reason they have those big banners at the top of the website every so often asking for money?). But if a for-profit website that gets its money from ad sales or otherwise running like a real for-profit company were to try to do what Wikipedia is doing right now, they'd risk A) Ticking off their customers; B) loosing money; C) driving their customers to other websites that ARN'T doing a 1-day blockout, potentially running the risk of loosing that customer long term if they discover that they like the alternative better instead.

So Wikipedia probably figures they can get away with doing the blackout while these other companies that might have supposedly joined Wiki reasoned that the potential risks of the blackout were not worth it to make the same kind of political statement.

 

[Treblaine]

So I guess escapist isn't blacking out tomorrow?

What's the point in a blackout if people have no where to vent about it?

 

[Treblaine]

If Google goes down for a day that could kill SOPA stone dead...

Or alternatively, it would just drive their customers to go use one of the other dozens of search engines out there. Do you really think people are that attached to Google that they'd refuse to use any other search engine and go complain to the government rather than saying "hey, I wonder if I can find what I'm looking for on Bing or Yahoo instead?"?

Bing is the default search engine on my placement PC's browsers. I can't stand it. The most common search on Bing must be "google" to quickly link them to a better search engine. Google is on top for a reason.

Everyone got an ipad because it was so much freaking better than almost every other MP3 player out there. Shortages of iPads didn't drive them to competition, they waited rather than spend almost as much on something inferior.

 

[seraphy]

So I guess escapist isn't blacking out tomorrow?

What's the point in a blackout if people have no where to vent about it?

They would went about it tomorrow.

 

[Space Jawa]

If Google goes down for a day that could kill SOPA stone dead...

Or alternatively, it would just drive their customers to go use one of the other dozens of search engines out there. Do you really think people are that attached to Google that they'd refuse to use any other search engine and go complain to the government rather than saying "hey, I wonder if I can find what I'm looking for on Bing or Yahoo instead?"?

Bing is the default search engine on my placement PC's browsers. I can't stand it. The most common search on Bing must be "google" to quickly link them to a better search engine. Google is on top for a reason.

Everyone got an ipad because it was so much freaking better than almost every other MP3 player out there. Shortages of iPads didn't drive them to competition, they waited rather than spend almost as much on something inferior.

Your attempt at a comparison here kind of falls flat given the differences between your example and the situation we're looking at.

For one, getting an iPad or an iPod is a far bigger commitment than deciding what web browser you're going to use on a given day, especially since you're paying a lot more money for it and you can't switch your MP3 player for another model or brand quite as easily.

Plus, given the circumstances, you'd either have to have Google or Wikipedia saying "Sorry, we don't have enough room for you to search our site right now, please come back later" OR you'd have to have Apple saying "Sorry, but we're not going to sell you an iPad right now because we're protesting X Legislation" in order for the comparison to match up.

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

I don't know why these idiots think they can make legislation with such far reaching implications. Well, at least we know they REALLY wanna control us.

 

[Treblaine]

If Google goes down for a day that could kill SOPA stone dead...

Or alternatively, it would just drive their customers to go use one of the other dozens of search engines out there. Do you really think people are that attached to Google that they'd refuse to use any other search engine and go complain to the government rather than saying "hey, I wonder if I can find what I'm looking for on Bing or Yahoo instead?"?

Bing is the default search engine on my placement PC's browsers. I can't stand it. The most common search on Bing must be "google" to quickly link them to a better search engine. Google is on top for a reason.

Everyone got an ipad because it was so much freaking better than almost every other MP3 player out there. Shortages of iPads didn't drive them to competition, they waited rather than spend almost as much on something inferior.

Your attempt at a comparison here kind of falls flat given the differences between your example and the situation we're looking at.

For one, getting an iPad or an iPod is a far bigger commitment than deciding what web browser you're going to use on a given day, especially since you're paying a lot more money for it and you can't switch your MP3 player for another model or brand quite as easily.

Plus, given the circumstances, you'd either have to have Google or Wikipedia saying "Sorry, we don't have enough room for you to search our site right now, please come back later" OR you'd have to have Apple saying "Sorry, but we're not going to sell you an iPad right now because we're protesting X Legislation" in order for the comparison to match up.

Well... not quite political but Jobs categorically banished Abobe Flash from all iOS devices in protest over their poor standards of stability and so on, but it certainly wasn't a technical nor legal impossibility of iPhones and iPads running Flash. And people bought iPod, iPhones and iPads anyway in greater numbers than competition who did stick with flash.

OK, websites aren't such a commitment, then again this is just one day.

Most people have already been forced to use Google already, like on company PCs having Bing as default search on Internet explorer (default installed with the OS, not worth IT's valuable time to install chrome/opera/firefox) and it hasn't swayed people enough. See Google is jsut very VERY good at search, and more than that people have learned how to search with it, what kind of keywords it understands and where to look and how to refine.

First day of alternative will just be "GRR, this is different, can't wait till 24 hours are over and I can go back to what I know and like". They'll be angry, angry at google but also angry at SOPA. And they might just care.

 

[Gregg Lonsdale]

I think it's great that wikipedia blacked out. What this really means is that the general populace will be forced to take notice of what's happening, since the general media appears to have completely ignored the situation. Hopefully Facebook goes down too, that'll really stir people up (I deactivated my account personally as protest, a few of my friends did and hopefully loads of other people will too).

I think the blackouts combined with the executive branch's expressed disapproval of the bill should be enough to kill this crap. Here's hoping

 

[Infernai]

*Starts passing around candles*

Anyone care for a round of singing?

Indeed! Come around everyone, lets sing songs from The Hobbit so I can feel like Gandalf! Then afterwards we chase an internet dragon in the dark.

Ok! I'll start us off! With some Susumo Hirasawa [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANasgaDH_Z0&feature=related]

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

If Google goes down for a day that could kill SOPA stone dead...

Or alternatively, it would just drive their customers to go use one of the other dozens of search engines out there. Do you really think people are that attached to Google that they'd refuse to use any other search engine and go complain to the government rather than saying "hey, I wonder if I can find what I'm looking for on Bing or Yahoo instead?"?

Bing is the default search engine on my placement PC's browsers. I can't stand it. The most common search on Bing must be "google" to quickly link them to a better search engine. Google is on top for a reason.

Everyone got an ipad because it was so much freaking better than almost every other MP3 player out there. Shortages of iPads didn't drive them to competition, they waited rather than spend almost as much on something inferior.

Your attempt at a comparison here kind of falls flat given the differences between your example and the situation we're looking at.

For one, getting an iPad or an iPod is a far bigger commitment than deciding what web browser you're going to use on a given day, especially since you're paying a lot more money for it and you can't switch your MP3 player for another model or brand quite as easily.

Plus, given the circumstances, you'd either have to have Google or Wikipedia saying "Sorry, we don't have enough room for you to search our site right now, please come back later" OR you'd have to have Apple saying "Sorry, but we're not going to sell you an iPad right now because we're protesting X Legislation" in order for the comparison to match up.

Besides, Apple never had the best mp3 players on the market -- or if they did, it was for a very brief period, before San Disk and Creative entered the market. My little Sansa from 2007 has a lot of features that apple refuses to put on their hardware even /today/, and it was a mid range model at the time. Apple has good marketing and a nice aesthetic, and that's pretty much what their media player business runs on. Their computer business runs on that, plus some exclusive software that you pretty much need if you work in certain industries.

 

[The Cor]

Just going to watch Breaking Bad and play terraria. But ladies and gentlemen, I have seen the tremendous commotion about PIPA and SOPA but ACTA never gets mentioned while that is in it's final stages https://www.eff.org/issues/acta

 

[brom0220]

Kind of irrelevant, seeing how SOPA hasn't passed (For now anyway).

Still, a good way to show how any censorship on the net will end up. I have the list here for people to look at:
http://sopastrike.com/on-strike/

The few, the brave, the hateful of Youtube takedowns

I don't know if you or anyone else noticed this, but the freaking CIA website (cia.gov) is on that list. Hopefully that will raise a few eyebrows and make people give some thought to this bill.

 

[mooncalf]

It's sad the escapist isn't in on it because it's users are so behind the issue of getting those toxic pieces of garbage banhammered. I do believe the companies most behind the madness are simply looking to get their rapidly fossilising business models put on life support.

 

[agentorange98]

check out this new video from Extra Credits, Loading Ready Run, Screw Attack, and FireFall, http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/stand-together-the-gaming-community-vs-sopa-and-pipa, it's about how the ESA (the major lobbying arm of the games industry and the people behind E3) are in full support of SOPA and asking reviewing sites, developers, and personalities to join in a boycott against E3 this year and set up an alternative for those boycotting. The video asks all of us to spread the word with everyone. If you wanta pass on the information to someone tell them to contact [email protected] if they wanta get involved. I would also say that even though SOPA is being re-evaluated it is in no way finished or dead and there's still a strong chance it'll pass

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Kind of irrelevant, seeing how SOPA hasn't passed (For now anyway).

Still, a good way to show how any censorship on the net will end up. I have the list here for people to look at:
http://sopastrike.com/on-strike/

The few, the brave, the hateful of Youtube takedowns

I don't know if you or anyone else noticed this, but the freaking CIA website (cia.gov) is on that list. Hopefully that will raise a few eyebrows and make people give some thought to this bill.

It's on the list, but it's also still up -- and it's past midnight everywhere on the continent right now. I have a feeling some troll added that to the list; the CIA is a part of the government, one whose job it is to take orders from higher up in the government. I don't think they're legally able to take an official stance against a piece of legislation, at least not in a manner that public.

 

[ED-Tw0 ZeRo N9nE]

I looked at the list and I'm seeing a LOT of problems with it. Most of the sites listed aren't blacked out, there are several repeats of the same sites, Youtube/facebook are listed several times even though they aren't blacked out, and on top of it all, the politician who wrote SOPA to begin with, his website is listed as well. Obviously, someone has been randomly adding sites to it that aren't actually commited to the cause, so therefore the list isn't all that useful and fairly lacking in credibility in most cases. Yep, it appears that trolls are attempting to tarnish the integrity of this cause, those of you who care about it might want to look into that.

[EDIT] Seriously, ?lamarsmith.house.gov/ is on that list
If you want to find it, I recommend you start from the bottom and work your way up. It's there, you WILL find it. There's not a chance in hell this site should be listed, why would he oppose the bill he created. It makes no sense, the only explanation has to be trolls.

 

[Wolf VanBerg]

Those sites aren't part of the blackout...So why have you mentioned them?

Actually . . .

Spoiler

[br]

[br]

[br]

[br]Seriously? You spam links at people, but you fail to properly read links that people provide to you.
Your credibility just reached rock-bottom.

Have you been on those sites?
They are all working just fine. They are not part of the blackout.

https://www.cia.gov/
https://www.facebook.com/
http://www.tumblr.com/explore
and so on. Shows the quality of the website if it falsely puts websites on it.

Tumblr is still up, but the CIA an Facebooks sites are down for me..so i'd say check again?

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Those sites aren't part of the blackout...So why have you mentioned them?

Actually . . .

Spoiler

[br]

[br]

[br]

[br]Seriously? You spam links at people, but you fail to properly read links that people provide to you.
Your credibility just reached rock-bottom.

Have you been on those sites?
They are all working just fine. They are not part of the blackout.

https://www.cia.gov/
https://www.facebook.com/
http://www.tumblr.com/explore
and so on. Shows the quality of the website if it falsely puts websites on it.

Dude, maybe you should actually read about the blackout <a href=http://techland.time.com/2012/01/12/sopa-reddit-confirms-january-18-blackout-wikipedia-and-others-may-follow/?iid=tl-main-mostpop1>here, because if you actually knew what you were talking about you'd know the blackout doesn't start until 8am EST. Which is 1pm GMT. Which isn't for 2 hours. So of course those sites are still up.

 

[chaosyoshimage]

NOOOO!!! How will I update my Backloggery!?

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Those sites aren't part of the blackout...So why have you mentioned them?

Actually . . .

Spoiler

[br]

[br]

[br]

[br]Seriously? You spam links at people, but you fail to properly read links that people provide to you.
Your credibility just reached rock-bottom.

Have you been on those sites?
They are all working just fine. They are not part of the blackout.

https://www.cia.gov/
https://www.facebook.com/
http://www.tumblr.com/explore
and so on. Shows the quality of the website if it falsely puts websites on it.

Tumblr is still up, but the CIA an Facebooks sites are down for me..so i'd say check again?

http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/www.facebook.com
They are all up.

Dude, maybe you should actually read about the blackout <a href=http://techland.time.com/2012/01/12/sopa-reddit-confirms-january-18-blackout-wikipedia-and-others-may-follow/?iid=tl-main-mostpop1>here, because if you actually knew what you were talking about you'd know the blackout doesn't start until 8am EST. Which is 1pm GMT. Which isn't for 2 hours. So of course those sites are still up.

Can I ask why you think facebook etc will participate in it? What do they hope to achieve?

It's the Internet version of an industrial strike, basically. And workers only strike to either a) improve working conditions or b) to defend their jobs. What does any industrial action hope to achieve? A change in policy brought about by the massive support of public opinion.

Whilst shutting down sites that allow the downloading of copyright material is SOPAs base (and understandable) aim, it also allows in it's clauses the shutting down of any site that hosts copyrighted material. Sites like Facebook and Youtube could in theory be shut down almost overnight. A good friend of mine is a copyright lawyer, and when shown the SOPA bill it was described as quote "unbelievable" and provided a quote "shocking precedent". Now obviously that was before it was repealed, and it's had to be changed in order to be brought back, but it's been brought back so quickly I find it hard to believe that any of the changes will be in any way significant.

Now, I'm not going to get drawn into a debate on SOPA, but what I will say is that rightly or wrongly these sites feel threatened by the bill and they are taking action in order to show the world what the internet could be like if SOPA were to be implemented and abused. Because even if a law is brought in for all the right reasons, it is often used for all the wrong ones - just look at the case of the woman who sued a family because she was injured by the flying body parts of their son as he was <a href=http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/130874/dead_teen_sued_by_victim>disintegrated by a freight train.