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NSA uses "Copyright Infringement" to silence criticism/free speech

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posted on Aug, 20 2013 @ 04:51 PM
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Also to note:

This isn't the first time a government agency has made this claim.

This story and this one seem to be related.

Wikipedia lawyers laughed at them and sent this letter.

These government agencies are not only using intimidation tactics against free speech, they are blatantly misquoting the law, as by noted by Wikimedia general counsel Mike Godwin in his response to the FBI demand that Wikipedia take down the FBI logo from it's page.


Finally, while I sympathize with your footnoted desire to claim that "the plain meaning" of the statute supports your broad view of Section 701's scope, we note that you specifically removed the language that communicates the plain meaning of "other insignia." In context, this seems an ironic stroke.



posted on Aug, 20 2013 @ 05:01 PM
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reply to post by Springer
 


The tow logos don't even look alike. There isn't much chance that somebody will confuse the two but NSA doesn't want people to remember them in this way. Not likely to happen but now they'll be remembered for trampeling on some poor t-shirt vendor who's only trying to make a buck and put food on the table.

I did like the motto under the name though. I may have to use that sometime.



posted on Aug, 20 2013 @ 05:03 PM
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reply to post by Springer
 


The NSA is owed by the people and all copyright of any government entity is owned by the people and fair use of the people. Go to whitehouse website and use any document or logo under fair use. No Government documents can be copyrighted and are public use for anyone. Any government video is publicly owned.

"A work of the United States government, as defined by United States copyright law, is "a work prepared by an officer or employee of the" U.S. federal government "as part of that person's official duties."[1] In general, under section 105 of the Copyright Act,[2] such works are not entitled to domestic copyright protection under U.S. law." Link



posted on Aug, 20 2013 @ 05:43 PM
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reply to post by Springer
 


Very interesting. Swann is right...it does fall under parody. When I lived out on the rez years ago, probably the most commonly used parody shirt out there was one titled "FBI" and usually had "Fry Bread Inspector" beneath it. Iff zazzle's issue was the use of "NSA", then they should probably pull the FBI fry bread inspector t-shirts on their site
www.zazzle.com...

Now out of the two t-shirts, the NSA one is a great little parody t-shirt while the other one is just silly. But I guess silly is okay but critique is not. And well, the Fry Bread Inspector doesn't use a similar logo to the FBI's so how about this product on zazzle?

www.zazzle.com...

Logo...check. Use of agency name...check. Female Body Inspector....hmmm, shouldn't that be taken down, too, by their rationale?

Or how about this one (a goody, I promise) because this one isn't even a parody....

www.zazzle.com...

Exact match on the FBI logo, zero parody. Yet, zazzle is selling it. Hmmm....



posted on Aug, 20 2013 @ 06:57 PM
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Ben is a real journalist




posted on Aug, 20 2013 @ 08:13 PM
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The NSA: "Hey Zazzle....this is a nice store you have here. It'd be a shame if anything were to happen to it, ya know?"

Zazzle.com: "Yes sir, Mr. NSA sir"



posted on Aug, 20 2013 @ 10:34 PM
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I was going to post this video but decided to search in this forum first, glad ATS is on its shizzzzzzz.


I'm so happy for Ben Swann and his independent/privately funded new alternative news show.



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 01:01 AM
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reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan
 


I believe you're on to something here BFFT!



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 05:04 AM
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I still remember the day that my friend used a download link of freemasonry lodge and moderators gave him warning because of copyright.

IMO copyright is good thing and it's mentioned in ATS T&C , but here is the flaws of laws lawyers pass.

There are always ways for them to justify their actions.

And the thread you edited about ATS using cookies for goggle-analytics.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Now it's the bad days and you complain ?
edit on 21-8-2013 by mideast because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 05:48 AM
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how can it be copyright infringement when it was tax payers money that was used to pay the design team to create it in the first place

Crazy



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 06:03 AM
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reply to post by Springer
 


It's not the first time you see a "disturbing" video disappear from YT based on copyright claims just moments after it has been put online. The same applies to posts on various social networks.

I understand the need to fight terrorism and to be cautious, but not at any cost. If we are forced to live in an Orwellian society because of it, then I say that the terrorists somehow already won. Maybe it's exactly what they wanted to achieve in the first place.


edit on 21-8-2013 by RageAgainstFascism because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 07:52 AM
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reply to post by Springer
 


They will come knocking on everyones door eventually. Some will choose to go out of business instead of dealing with them. Others will do what they are asked so that they can continue earning and not lose what they have built with their blood, sweat, and tears. I have no illusions about this, that even my favorite little corners of sanity will be usurped.

Smedley Butler nailed it all those years ago when he labelled our leaders as thugs in a mafia organization.

reply to post by mideast
 


There are so many things in this world to rail against. Google Analytics is likely the last you should worry about, right before going on that a against kittens.

But if it bothers you that much, since I see you running firefox....install NoScript and quit worrying. You will see the degradation in your web experience if you block Google Analytics.



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 08:09 AM
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reply to post by Springer
 


Mr Springer - You might recall a letter you sent to me some time ago in response to my inquiry regarding the notion of "freedom of speech" on your website - actually the lack thereof. My inquiry had to do with the extreme nature of your 'T+C' as regards the stifling of 'speech' here on ATS, and that there surely seemed to be a dearth of free expression here because of your restrictions, and I wanted to hear from you personally the reasons for that. As much as I would like to reproduce here the contents of your response I am presuming that it would be in violation of your T+C, so I will paraphrase the gist of your remarks.

While my particular emphasis was on the notion of "freedom of speech" as generally understood in the context of our inherited democratic traditions, and the fact of being an 'American,' I never actually referred to the strict interpretation that the Bill of Rights provides for us in the first amendment, but you did in saying to me quite strenuously, and in no uncertain terms that " ATS is a 'constitution free' zone; the Bill of Rights does not apply here. This is private property, more specifically - this is 'sovereign territory' of which I am the owner who makes the rules, so your so-called 'right of speech' ends at the front door. If you don't like my rules then leave. End of discussion." (para)

Now - based on your attitude towards me, and anyone else who comes here to ATS, I am wondering how you manage to muster the gall to post a thread such as this wherein you are ranting about the governments heavy hand when you yourself are just as heavy-handed as they when it come to the notion of "freedom of speech."

As you know Mr. Springer, I called you out recently on this very issue, comparing your actions against free speech to those of our oppressive government, and challenged your position regarding freedom of expression here at ATS in a 2 pg. thread titled "ATS Moderators: Thank you" HERE So, I would like to refer the interested reader especially to pg.2 of that earlier thread wherein you mocked and ridiculed my legitimate concerns - shame on you for that!

When all is said and done, I think your being hypocritical in posting such a thread as this, and for making what amounts to a disingenuous rant against the government and the NSA, and I don't mind telling you so.

edit on 21-8-2013 by YodHeVauHe because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 08:32 AM
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reply to post by Springer
 


Well if you want to do something... Take the NSA logo make a parody of it and place it squarely at the top of the site you own. Then you can fight it in court, make the US government look even more foolish, and win one for the peeps.



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 08:51 AM
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Originally posted by rockn82
reply to post by Springer
 


Well if you want to do something... Take the NSA logo make a parody of it and place it squarely at the top of the site you own. Then you can fight it in court, make the US government look even more foolish, and win one for the peeps.


Which one ? Or are they all copyrighted?



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 08:56 AM
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Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
reply to post by Springer
 


Any artwork created by publicly funded federal agencies is automatically in the public domain. They "pulled the wool" over the eyes of the store owner.



SO,

Let me ask you a double edge sword question.

Since the company did pull the t-shirts based on that claim, can't he sue the company and the NSA for 1st amendment right violation?

And can't the store sue the NSA?
edit on 21-8-2013 by Realtruth because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 09:56 AM
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The agency that it represents (NSA) is becoming a big joke day by day. Instead of reconciliation with the taxpayers, few from their side are fighting the issue. Oh well. Nothing we can do about it I guess.



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 10:08 AM
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If they don't like what you say, they will use any "legal" (if you can call it that) means to destroy you. One non-violent way of bringing you to your knees is to take away your means of earning a living (as this example demonstrates) or confiscate your funds via IRS audits. This administration is spinning out of control and I for one can't wait till they hit rock bottom. The more control they try to gain over us, the angrier people are becoming, and I'm not just talking about us here on ATS. The ordinary public is also beginning to take notice.....all thanks to these disgusting power grabs that are becoming more and more frequent.



posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 10:27 AM
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Originally posted by Springer
There's a guy named Ben Swann who was fired from a Fox News Affiliate


Ben Swann wasn't fired, he left in order to start his Truth In Media Project. I'm from Cincinnati and I can tell you first hand that Ben was one of the most popular journalist we had here and Fox 19 backed him 100% with every story he presented. It was a sad day for all of us when he left.

Ben Swann leaving Fox 19 News

Here's a fun interview Ben did with the president, watch Mr. Obama's face...he's not happy with the questions Ben is asking.





posted on Aug, 21 2013 @ 10:30 AM
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reply to post by YodHeVauHe
 


My friend, the point was missed by you. If it's legal to create a parody of an object, then the site owners should be able to use which ever one they want.

I realize this would be like a triple edged sword. Bringing the NSA upon themselves while at the same time garnering the attention of more people and perhaps, in the end, pulling off a win for the citizens.

Myself; I stand on principles and it has definitely gotten me into trouble in the past. I have always fought for the little guy and if I had the resources, I would certainly take my own suggestion and roll with it. There's nothing I like better than setting bullies straight.

This is not meant to be inflamatory, but I wonder if the owners would shut down ATS rather than give up all it's users' data. If push came to shove that is. The recent thread from SkepticOverlord ""Cowardly" Groklaw, Lavabit ..." would seem to say that they wouldn't but putting up a parody in the voice of the first amendment would be a wonderful way to give a collective single finger salute to those government agency bullies.



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