How SOPA (as written) might kill ATS and free speech online (UPDATED)

Perhaps the greatest conspiracy is the one that can sew our collective mouths SHUT.
I love ATS. I have differed with ATS policy on some issues because some topics that I would love to explore, I am not able to. But, I DO understand why the owners of ATS take the position they do, whether I agree or not.
I hope that this fight against SOPA opens some peoples eyes at ATS, that ultimately, a fight for rights cannot necessarily end where you draw the line when your back is against the wall. The bigger conspiracy HAS to be understood, and sometimes the line is very clear.
As a certain president said in BLACK AND WHITE, you are either with us, or against us. Those were his rules, but who does he speak for?
Not us.
Yes, let's kill SOPA, and the sort of control freak mindset that breeds it as well.

I've done the only thing I as an individual can do.

Click here to do the same.

I should have added that I've found signed letters or faxes generally get a response in my experience, where emails seldom do.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
reply to post by nenothtu

 

Please read my whole post where I stated I'm opposed to SOPA.

My point in the question is that if anyone want's to influence legislation, you MUST offer alternatives to deal with the genuine problems they are intended to address. Far better to lead than to follow behind complaining.

I think you misread.

Yes, I read that, and am in agreement on that point. The thing is, we already HAVE copyright laws. This isn't about copyright, it's about creating an internet black hole for censorship. I also read about your issue with content sales overseas creating a copyright infringement, and this legislation does nothing to address that. There are a million other ways to get the content outside US borders, to a place where it is fair game, and will be sold without attribution or royalty payments all the same. It's not right, but it's reality. Unscrupulous people will do unscrupulous things.

The best thing you can do is just what you've done - don't release it until money crosses your palm. Even then, there will be some jackass some where who buys it just to reproduce a series of "knock offs" from it, and pocket all the profit from that himself.

Now that I think of it, this doesn't address the profiteering sort of piracy at all, any how. The claim is that it addresses sharing, not selling. What it REALLY addresses is the exchange of information, regardless of profit.

STOPA

Hi Skeptic & All,

Random idea for the name of any initiatives countering SOPA:

STOPA = Stop The Online Piracy Act

As an acronym, the words STOP and SOPA should be detectable.

It's close to being a recursive acronym but it isn't.

Enjoy!

Originally posted by Hessiana
reply to post by IAMIAM

 

If SOPA was in action and ATS was taken down for one complaint, what would you do? Im sure they have very good reasons why we dont have or allow such things as swears and things,Im sure its too keep order onsite and too not let things get out of control so we can all carry on what we do on here.

What we do on here could be demolished by SOPA. Which is why im fully against it.

All your government is doing is trying to keep order in the world. Just as the staff tries to do here. Such a role is quite burdensome isn't it?

It isn't a job for Man is my point.

If you allow it even here, then you deserve it in the real world.

Who has a right to determine what is the proper order for this universe?

If you feel it is Man, then let the man screw you.

What you bind in your mind (Heaven), you bind on the earth (what you perceive with your senses).

You are only doing this to yourselves.

With Love,

Your Brother

Let the Digital World War begin....

I'd also like to add that I've enjoyed my use of the internet since my teen years but before the internet, I was doing other things... so I'll just stop using it, kill my ISP bill, and save money.

Plus, some genius is bound to come out with a new kind of underground web. So I'm not too worried. Do I disagree with it? Hell yes... This is a horrible idea.

Originally posted by Skyfloating
reply to post by IAMIAM

 

Is that to say you would like pornography on this website in addition to the millions of other websites its already on?

I thought this was supposed to be a topically focused website...

Is there a conspiracy against pornography?

Who declared the naked body and what we do as human beings with it shameful?

If it cannot be discussed or shared, there is a conspiracy against it.

Think about it.

With Love,

Your Brother

The alarm clock has been going off for awhile now, its time for our brainwashed population to stop hitting the snooze button. NDAA and now these its clear the elite know defense wins championships. Anyone who starts a movement can legally just disappear. That should make the police and military feel morally better about slaughtering there own, its the law.


# ya resolution, we need a revolution.

The alarm clock has been going off for awhile now, its time for our brainwashed population to stop hitting the snooze button. NDAA and now these its clear the elite know defense wins championships. Anyone who starts a movement can legally just disappear. That should make the police and military feel morally better about slaughtering there own, its the law.


# ya resolution, we need a revolution.

On one hand we have SOPA and PIPA, and the other hand we have Hillary Clinton promoting internet freedom, and how companies can utilize available resources on how to carry out and meet responsibilities with due diligence.

Source

I wish there were, but there isn’t, an easy formula for this. Making good decisions about how and whether to do business in various parts of the world, particularly where the laws are applied haphazardly or they are opaque, takes critical thinking and deliberation and asking hard questions. So what kind of business should you do in a country where it has a history of violating internet freedom?

Good question???

(same source)

Now, these and others are difficult questions, but companies must ask them. And the rest of us stand ready to work with you to find answers and to hold those who ignore or dismiss or deny the importance of this issue accountable. A range of resources emerged in recent years to help companies work through these issues. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which were adopted in June, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises both advise companies on how to meet responsibilities and carry out due diligence. And the Global Network Initiative, which is represented here tonight, is a growing forum where companies can work through challenges with other industry partners, as well as academics, investors, and activists.

(same source)

This is an urgent task. It is most urgent, of course, for those around the world whose words are now censored, who are imprisoned because of what they or others have written online, who are blocked from accessing entire categories of internet content, or who are being tracked by governments seeking to keep them from connecting with one another.

Kind of like your own government. Nothing like promoting internet freedom somewhere else, while you attempt to strangle information in your own country.

The only reason they are promoting this is to ensure they have insight into social media channels to expose crimes against humanity or other gross negligence allegedly perpetrated against citizens by their government. It's an essential spying tool which may allow for intervention or creating movements, like the Arab Spring, launched through social media websites.

reply to post by Daedal

Hillary Clinton does not promote internet freedom.
When Hillary is talking, she is lying.
PLEASE keep that in mind. She is a tool to fool you. She cares nothing for your freedom.

Originally posted by SurrealisticPillow
reply to post by Daedal

 

Hillary Clinton does not promote internet freedom.
When Hillary is talking, she is lying.
PLEASE keep that in mind. She is a tool to fool you. She cares nothing for your freedom.

I'm quite aware of that...just pointing out the contradictions.

Originally posted by rexusdiablos

STOPA

Hi Skeptic & All,

Random idea for the name of any initiatives countering SOPA:

STOPA = Stop The Online Piracy Act

As an acronym, the words STOP and SOPA should be detectable.

It's close to being a recursive acronym but it isn't.

Enjoy!

Here's a rough concept:



The graphic is meant to depict a "No Piracy" sign within another "No" sign.

reply to post by rexusdiablos

I like it!
I think putting some red creatively in the STOPA letters somehow would be good. To highlight the STOP a bit, if you know what I mean.
Great work though, IMO.

I met a lot of the staff at the office of the New York representative in the capitol building a few years ago and was given a full tour of the whole complex. I met a lot of politicians and I dont think any of them are the kind of people who would vote this crap in.

There is a certain section of crusty old farts though who live to find new things to ban and make laws about. The younger crowd in that place know better.

Plus you have the futility of trying to control the internet in any way. It is so decentralised and made up of so many servers they would never be able to do any of this nonsense. You think we'll all just walk away and say thats that then, it's a law, we must obey?

Nae danger. Offshore servers. hidden ones linked wirelessly or to access points in other countries. Sattellite access points. They can shut them down one by one, we'll just keep putting new ones up. What an asinine waste of tax dollars that would be. Nobody in their right mind would vote that in. Anyone being paid to vote for it is engaging in corruption. Good luck getting away with that !

I quote the Rubber Duck. 'Piss on you, and piss on your law'

reply to post by nenothtu


I've become jaded on this issue due to the incredible number of posts here defending the theft of intellectual property. ATS is full of such threads. If the laws are working so well, how is it people are stealing their software and music so easily and think they are justified in doing so? It bothers me.

Having said that, I've contacted those in government who represent me and expressed my opposition. I wonder how many posting care enough to do the same?

I do know just objecting is not enough and that with this new technology having taken over the show, new ideas are needed to protect the product of peoples hard work.

I honestly think the thieves stealing intellectual property, almost at will, share equal blame for this kind of legislation. I think that is a valid part of the conversation. Did the thieves not exist among us, there would be no need for this conversation to begin with. They have to be dealt with somehow.

The government could care less about piracy.

This is about America waking up and winning the info-war. Didn't Hillary already tell us that?

They want you dumbed-down and taking sites like ATS out fulfills their agenda.

I've been following this on another site for 3 months or so, some points of interest

By passing SOPA in any way will be illegal (ie. Mozilla app, or even manually typing a blocked IP number)

you have to prove you are innocent AFTER the sentence of guilty.

Severely restricts "Fair Use"

requires NO notification (ala DMCA)

free speech issue as I see it is like this.

You come to my house and curse me out, I can tell you to shut up or leave, that's not repressing your free speech, you are on my "property". (ATS)

You are a Cop, or even an elected politician, I can curse you all I wish using what ever words I want, and have no repercussions. That is protected freedom of speech. the internet is a public information hiway.

You don't see a roadside gas station being closed cause of a drug deal in the bathroom


If sharing files is "stealing" then YOU, like a store owner, Pay someone to "police" your "content"

(real stores do this)

even when caught red handed, you STILL see a judge and have charges read to you BEFORE a sentence is carried out.

the DHS held a website for a YEAR then returned it, NO Explanation, this is BEFORE SOPA/PIPA
DHS on the NET?

This is what is going on NOW. get with the program folks we need a million man flash mob in DC NOW

Do we really need the Congress and Senate any more, the INTERNET makes them redundant, if you really think about it, then think again about what SOPA/PIPA really are for, Why do you need a representative in DC if you can find out more info faster then they do, and be able to act on it, they seem rather Analog..........


PS: the Best way to stop "piracy" is to repeal copyright, it's a gift, NOT a right

Originally posted by SurrealisticPillow
reply to post by rexusdiablos

 

I like it!
I think putting some red creatively in the STOPA letters somehow would be good. To highlight the STOP a bit, if you know what I mean.
Great work though, IMO.

Here you go:

We have congress people who have never touched a computer? debating two bills that can allow major media companies to sue anyone,any site into oblivion with the weakest claims of copyright infringement even if the content has nothing to do with any of their IP? Seems to me that the congress is backing this as a way to stamp out dissent.