So how does ATOT feel about SOPA?

[SunnyD]

To think that all it would take is a simple letter to take down this entire site just because you asshats decide to post a picture of something that's currently considered Fair Use...

The House Judiciary Committee is having a hearing on it right now.

 

[AstroManLuca]

It's fucking disgusting, any congressperson or senator who supports the bill is either in the pocket of big business (no surprise since they're all there already), too stupid to know any better, or too lazy to take five minutes to learn about what the bill actually does.

I don't expect anything to happen though. Not enough members of the general public know enough about the bill to meaningfully protest it, and even if they did, it wouldn't matter. Congress no longer listens to its constituents, they just do whatever they feel like (or whatever they are paid to do).

My only hope is that Google uses some of their money to buy a few lawmakers of their own.

 

[dmcowen674]

So how does ATOT feel about SOPA?

It must pass

 

[SunnyD]

It must pass

Like a kidney stone.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

what are the chances that this will actually pass? I feel like this is a pretty big deal....

 

[sourceninja]

I hope it passes. I also want a constitutional amendment that rich people have the right to make money anyway possible.

 

[irishScott]

It'll pass, the recording industry will sue tons of people for singing/covering a pop song, politicians will realize that they can capitalize on this and repeal it to win votes.

 

[ViRGE]

I'll be honest: I'm quite alright with it. The day of reckoning for the free ride has long been overdue since everything moved off-shore due to the DMCA, and this is it. In spite of the blather no one is looking to shut down a site over a single picture - this is about blocking Megaupload, The Pirate Bay, and other foreign sites that enable Americans to commit copyright infringement while said sites make a tidy profit off it.

"If there isn't effective enforcement possibility, then there is no meaningful exclusive right and then copyright doesn't work"

 

[schneiderguy]

Down with teh government! D:

 

[SSSnail]

I feel a revolution is coming.

 

[irishScott]

I'll be honest: I'm quite alright with it. The day of reckoning for the free ride has long been overdue since everything moved off-shore due to the DMCA, and this is it. In spite of the blather no one is looking to shut down a site over a single picture - this is about blocking Megaupload, The Pirate Bay, and other foreign sites that enable Americans to commit copyright infringement while said sites make a tidy profit off it.

"If there isn't effective enforcement possibility, then there is no meaningful exclusive right and then copyright doesn't work"

Umm, the recording industries have a record of suing 12 year olds, and trying to take down videos that have their music in the background. You really trust them to just go after actual piracy?

 

[manlymatt83]

USPTO needs to be reformed. Done

 

[Bryf50]

I'll be honest: I'm quite alright with it. The day of reckoning for the free ride has long been overdue since everything moved off-shore due to the DMCA, and this is it. In spite of the blather no one is looking to shut down a site over a single picture - this is about blocking Megaupload, The Pirate Bay, and other foreign sites that enable Americans to commit copyright infringement while said sites make a tidy profit off it.

"If there isn't effective enforcement possibility, then there is no meaningful exclusive right and then copyright doesn't work"

Right so we can't have any download hosting websites because some asshats upload pirated shit to them. Not like they have tons of real and legitimate uses. Or the sites themselves actively take down files that infringe on copyrights.

If the objective isn't to shut down sites over a single picture then the bill should be worded in such a way to protect against that.

Lastly, this will do absolutely nothing to stop piracy or even block websites for that matter. You'll still be able to get to The Pirate Bay just by using the ip address. And while downloading a torrent is far from hard, anyone with the ability to do so can probably handle typing an ip address.

 

[n7]

I'm not American, but this is absolutely horrifying to me.
The fact this is likely to pass is just disgusting.

The more times goes by, the more apparent it becomes how America is NOT a democracy.

 

[irishScott]

I'm not American, but this is absolutely horrifying to me.
The fact this is likely to pass is just disgusting.

The more times goes by, the more apparent it becomes how America is NOT a democracy.

Strange thing is, if we really are ruled by Corporations, it should fail given the corporate opposition (Google, Ebay, Zynga, Mozilla, among many others).

 

[schneiderguy]

The more times goes by, the more apparent it becomes how America is NOT a democracy.

We're a republic, not a democracy.

 

[Bryf50]

We're a republic, not a democracy.

Those terms aren't mutually exclusive. We are a republic because we have representatives and we are a democracy because we elect them.

 

[zinfamous]

Those terms aren't mutually exclusive. We are a republic because we have representatives and we are a democracy because we elect them.

meh. Greece was a democracy, and they poisoned Socrates.


fuck that shit.

 

[Newbian]

<-- P&N

 

[BudAshes]

meh. Greece was a democracy, and they poisoned Socrates.


fuck that shit.

Crazy religious people will always win because sane people are scared of them.

 

[schneiderguy]

Crazy religious people will always win because sane people are scared of them.

I'm not scared of them.

I plan to shoot the bible thumper zombies first in the event of a zombie apocalypse :sneaky:

Edit: after much consideration I decided I would shoot manlet zombies first, and bible thumper zombies second.

 

[BudAshes]

I'm not scared of them.

I plan to shoot the bible thumper zombies first in the event of a zombie apocalypse :sneaky:

Edit: after much consideration I decided I would shoot manlet zombies first, and bible thumper zombies second.

Fervor attracts followers. Good luck against the zombie cult of hundreds of brainless worshipers. Zombies would be a prophets wet dream.

 

[ViRGE]

Right so we can't have any download hosting websites because some asshats upload pirated shit to them. Not like they have tons of real and legitimate uses. Or the sites themselves actively take down files that infringe on copyrights.

Oh download sites absolutely have legitimate uses, and I hope it doesn't come across as if I'm saying otherwise. However there's a wide spectrum of sites. Dropbox doesn't have major copyright infringement problems, and this is because the service isn't structured in a way that people can use it as a warez host. A huge part of that is because the uploader pays.

Megaupload on the other hand only pays lip service to the DMCA: they'll remove files, but will not prevent the same file from being uploaded again. Thus the DMCA takedown provisions are largely a failure because it turns into a game of whack a mole. It's the same place YouTube was 5 years ago before they implemented proper content filtering to keep the site from being a free-for-all for TV rips. The ultimate point being is that it is possible to operate a file/video hosting service that's copyright compliant if you make structural changes to deter pirates.

If the objective isn't to shut down sites over a single picture then the bill should be worded in such a way to protect against that.

I agree in principle. In practice, congressmen have been trying to put "don't be a jackass" into law for over 200 years now and they still haven't mastered it. If a law isn't flexible enough, you end up with a LaMacchia Loophole and you have to go through the process all over again.

Lastly, this will do absolutely nothing to stop piracy or even block websites for that matter. You'll still be able to get to The Pirate Bay just by using the ip address. And while downloading a torrent is far from hard, anyone with the ability to do so can probably handle typing an ip address.

The principle idea is that most people can't operate without DNS. Will it stop all piracy? No. But then again how many people have the means these days strip the DRM off of an iTunes movie release, versus the number of people that could copy a DVD? You'll never stop all piracy, but if DNS blacklists stop most people, then that's enough. It's the least complex way to prevent infringement - otherwise if that doesn't work the next step is blocking IPs, which is far more complex.

And actually the studios would be rather happy if people did download torrents. Torrents can be traced by IP back to the infringer in the US, which can then go through ISP provisions and if necessary court discovery motions to file a civil suit. It's direct download sites that are the biggest problem right now because they're untraceable (the funding provision of the bill is all about cutting off income sources to those sites), though the studios would be very happy to be rid of TPB while they're at it just because it makes it so easy to torrent things.

 

[sourceninja]

And what happens when the media companies use this as a launching point to block competing technologies that will cut into their profits. User made videos, new times of entertainment, etc. This whole idea will hurt innovation as a whole. It will give companies a free pass to shutup any one who is saying anything they don't like.

It also gives asshats the ability to take down any form they don't like and get companies sued into oblivion. I don't like this forum, ok I'll post a link to a britney spears album and report it. I'm sure once you remove the offending link their will be a easy and simple process to remove your DNS block.......

Twitter, facebook, forums, newsgroups, download sites, torrent trackers, blogs, etc would all be destroyed by this bill. There would be no point to having a DNS system, competing DNS will be created, this will lead to more laws requiring even more filtering and costs from ISPs, and making them liable will force up costs even more to deal with lawsuits. Finally, these costs will stifle improvements of service and turn companies into police forces to stop users from 'breaking the law'.

Last but not least, this bill is yet another way to ruin the lives of children by allowing jail time for downloading music. I'm all for all of this though. I think we need more 12 year olds in jail.

 

[cubby1223]

Right so we can't have any download hosting websites because some asshats upload pirated shit to them. Not like they have tons of real and legitimate uses. Or the sites themselves actively take down files that infringe on copyrights.

YES.

It is in my subjective belief that the use of those download services is >99% copyrighted material where those who uploaded the material own no claims to the copyright on the material.