Canadians Realizing That Their Websites Will Get Swept Up By SOPA Censorship

from the narrowly-targeted? dept

Tue, Nov 15th 2011 8:38pm — Mike Masnick

More and more problems with SOPA keep coming up. Michael Geist took a look at the bill from a Canadian perspective and realized that the bill would lead to censorship of Canadian websites as well, thanks to the ridiculous broad manner by which SOPA sets up its censorship mechanism:

It defines �domestic Internet Protocol addresses� � the numeric strings that constitute the actual address of a website or Internet connection � as �an Internet Protocol address for which the corresponding Internet Protocol allocation entity is located within a judicial district of the United States.�

Yet IP addresses are allocated by regional organizations, not national ones. The allocation entity located in the U.S. is called ARIN, the American Registry for Internet Numbers. Its territory includes the U.S., Canada and 20 Caribbean nations. This bill treats all IP addresses in this region as domestic for U.S. law purposes.

To put this in context, every Canadian Internet provider relies on ARIN for its block of IP addresses. In fact, ARIN even allocates the block of IP addresses used by federal and provincial governments. The U.S. bill would treat them all as domestic for U.S. law purposes.

I'm sure supporters of the bill don't mind a little unintended consequences hitting the Canadians, but as a sovereign nation that probably would prefer that other countries don't start poking around with our own sliver of the internet, running roughshod over foreign websites (while pretending they're domestic) seems like setting a dangerous precedent.

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Filed Under: canada, censorship, copyright, sopa

41 Comments

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Dave, 15 Nov 2011 @ 8:44pm

Dammit! Where's the insightful button for the article??
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- dcs, 16 Nov 2011 @ 10:16am
  
  Re: Dave, Dave, Dave
  > Dammit! Where's the insightful button for the article??
  
  Ach Man. Me thinks you display your /. creds in public.....
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Nov 2011 @ 8:46pm

Oh Mike, you didn't even try - the article is an opinion piece by your buddy Michael Geist, and the master of the slanted opinion doesn't reference a single company that has expressed concern.

Seems more like astroturf to me... where is the grassroot on this stuff?
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- G Thompson (profile), 15 Nov 2011 @ 9:02pm
  
  Re:
  That's funny Floyd Abrams wrote an opinion piece as well.
  
  Oh wait
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- Brent Ashley (profile), 15 Nov 2011 @ 9:20pm
  
  Re:
  I hereby express concern as a Canadian and owner of a Canadian company who is not named Michael and is not a crony of any Michaels nor a purveyor of artificial turf. You are now free to drop your shield of incredulity and consider our side of the argument.
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- MrWilson, 15 Nov 2011 @ 9:23pm
  
  Re:
  The article says, "Canadians." Michael Geist is a Canadian. It doesn't say Canadian companies, so why the demand for statements from companies? Let me guess, you only consider the opinions of companies to be important since that's where your funding comes from...
  
  Also, why do you ask for a reference to a company's fears if you're also expecting the statement to be grassroots-based?
  
  You don't seem to be trying very hard to troll. You might not get your Christmas bonus if you don't step up your game.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 15 Nov 2011 @ 10:36pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Geist is Canadian, single, not plural.
    
    More importantly, he doesn't talk for any grand majority of people.
    
    I am sure I can find a few American nutjobs that think that Obama is Saddam Hussein's son. Would it be fair to say "Americans think Obama is Saddam's Son"?
    
    Didn't think so.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 15 Nov 2011 @ 10:42pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Right. So apparently random American nutjobs aren't worth listening to...so why do you keep posting?
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    - Anonymous Coward, 15 Nov 2011 @ 10:50pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      I notice that you still haven't addressed the actual point. Ad hominem at its finest.
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      - Anonymous Coward, 15 Nov 2011 @ 11:01pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        What's the point, exactly? He is using the same scare tactic FUD that Mike has been using (censoring the internet!), and acts like the US government is going to shut off everything except their own sites and Itunes. It's bullshit end to end, more EFF talking points memo stuff.
        
        So the point isn't exactly powerful.
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        Anonymous Coward, 15 Nov 2011 @ 11:35pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Apparently in America, you can find nutjobs that will accept any law that doesn't cause the absolute worst-case scenario possible.
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        PaulT (profile), 16 Nov 2011 @ 1:42am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        ...or too ignorant to realise that it will cause that scenario.
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    - techflaws.org (profile), 15 Nov 2011 @ 11:52pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      
      But you do? Get over yourself, shilltard.
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    - Brendan (profile), 19 Nov 2011 @ 9:53am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      He speaks for me.
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A Guy (profile), 15 Nov 2011 @ 8:47pm

So, I guess Canada will have to set up its own uncensored DNS server to work around the US laws.

If only we here in the United States could easily and freely use that Canadian server to avoid any ridiculous censorship of our free speech...

Wait a minute every operating system has its own settings to change DNS servers.

It's almost like the people behind this bill don't know what the hell they're doing.
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- Dave, 15 Nov 2011 @ 9:05pm
  
  Re:
  So, because circumvention technologies are also targeted by SOPA, does that mean all OS's will be illegal?
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- G Thompson (profile), 15 Nov 2011 @ 9:05pm
  
  Re:
  I have a sinking suspicion that the USG will make usage of non approved DNS servers by US citizens (and everyone else they think they control.. the planet) a felony under the new USSA laws to follow SOPA.
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  - A Guy (profile), 15 Nov 2011 @ 9:15pm
    
    Re: Re:
    I'm sure that's the intent of some. However, outlawing the internet version of a foreign phone book is going to be even harder to get through the courts than this stinking pile of a bill. At some point, maybe at the 100th degree of separation between the actual infringement and some guy talking about the many, many holes in the plan, the courts will rule on the side of free speech.
    
    Either that or we will scrap the first amendment and the long history of precedents that define it.
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    - G Thompson (profile), 15 Nov 2011 @ 9:30pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      I haven't commented on much about SOPA because I'm not qualified enough to comment on your congress & statutes and watching from the outside is utterly fascinating though.
      
      Though something I wrote elsewhere about what I suspect a lot of the International community thinks, and especially what I do has bearing here if SOPA and it's ilk come to be passed into your laws.
      
      I wish the USA well in the coming decade when it becomes more isolationist then even before WW2 and when the rest of the world is enjoying the Internet, Equality in Trade, and the hopeful removal of the US$ as a world monetary standard.
      
      I look forward to the increased immigration of highly skilled US citizens to the rest of the world since they will not be able to be curious or innovate due to the self inflicted harm their own government and backwards thinking bricks & mortar industry moguls will of placed into legislation creating a wide range of chilling effects.
      
      I look forward to welcoming the USA back into the world community after it and its citizenry come to their senses and understand that Equity goes both ways and understands that having only 330million people they should only be having a 5% say in the worlds affairs, not the 100% they seem to think they are owed.
      
      Somehow though, I suspect that my welcoming will be a long time to come and might be dependant on a civil war or worse, hopefully that is not the case.
      
      I wish you all well in your struggles with SOPA though I am pragmatic enough to understand that even if this version does not go through, the next most likely will
      
      ;(
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      - Jeffrey Nonken (profile), 16 Nov 2011 @ 12:23am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        I haven't commented on much about SOPA because I'm not qualified enough to comment on your congress & statutes
        
        Neither are many commenters here (myself included) but we're an opinionated lot. I admire your restraint. :)
        
        and watching from the outside is utterly fascinating though.
        
        Sort of like a train wreck in slow motion, yes?
        
        Somehow though, I suspect that my welcoming will be a long time to come and might be dependant on a civil war or worse, hopefully that is not the case.
        
        Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. What I'm hoping is that something will break so badly that it'll be obvious to even the most stubbornly reactionary that the thing is broken, but not so badly that it can't be fixed in a reasonable time period.
        
        But I'm betting on civil war.
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BearGriz72 (profile), 15 Nov 2011 @ 9:43pm

Nitpicking
ARIN = American Registry for Internet Numbers (not Americas)

https://www.arin.net/about_us/overview.html
Established in December 1997, the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) is a Regional Internet Registry (RIR) incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia, USA. ARIN is one of five (5) RIRs. Like the other RIRs, ARIN:

*Provides services related to the technical coordination and management of Internet number resources in its respective service region.
-- The ARIN service region includes Canada, many Caribbean and North Atlantic islands, and the United States;
*Participates in the global Internet community;
*Facilitates the development of policy decisions made by its members and the stakeholders in its region;
*Is a nonprofit, membership organization;
*Is governed by an executive board elected by its membership.
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ScytheNoire, 15 Nov 2011 @ 10:38pm

This is an act of WAR!
To me, as a Canadian, I find this an act of War. By declaring War on Canada, we shall no longer allow you to leech off our natural resources. You are officially no longer the trousers of Canada, USA. We hereby declare America the World's Worst Neighbour.
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- Anonymous Coward, 15 Nov 2011 @ 11:21pm
  
  Re: This is an act of WAR!
  We'll eventually make up. No one could stay mad at their own wang forever, and we have Florida.
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- Jeffrey Nonken (profile), 16 Nov 2011 @ 12:26am
  
  Re: This is an act of WAR!
  We hereby declare America the World's Worst Neighbour.
  
  It took you this long to figure that out?
  
  I accept for my fellow countrymen, in the spirit in which it was given.
  
  It's arrogant presumption on my part to claim to speak for the rest of the country, but hey, we're all about arrogance and presumption.
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monkyyy, 16 Nov 2011 @ 12:08am

this nonsense will hopefully end as people who have grown up w/ computers start taking office
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Conspiracy Troll, 16 Nov 2011 @ 12:22am

everyone against this bill has been brainwashed by china since china is brainwashing americans to oppose IP because they want to undermine the U.S. economy for their own benefit. and what's more amazing is that everyone falls for it. you all believe their brainwashing propaganda but you don't realize that the people pushing for this are the chinese.
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- Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2011 @ 12:25am
  
  Re:
  and don't forge that the Chinese are using their propaganda to bankrupt america.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2011 @ 12:29am
    
    Re: Re:
    oh, and btw, where is my tin foil hat? the chinese musta taken it from me. those sneaky chinese. and now canada is in on it too but they won't brainwash me though, i'll just go buy more tin foil hats. yeah, more tin foil hats, thatll stop em.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2011 @ 12:30am
    
    Re: Re:
    forget *
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- Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2011 @ 1:11am
  
  Re:
  Its sad When I thought you were serious until I saw your name...
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2011 @ 5:14am

Canada should set up it's own uncensored DNS then, I'd gladly switch my computer to use it to avoid government censorship.
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- Any Mouse (profile), 16 Nov 2011 @ 10:19am
  
  Re:
  I find a better solution would be for ARIN to relocate all business operations to Canada. And set up a payment processor that is not based in the US.
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Wig, 16 Nov 2011 @ 5:51am

News from the free world
I can only hope that we, the free world, will cut all internet connections with the US.

Maybe we'll start giving US citizens and businesses some sort of political asylum if they denounce their US affiliations...
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ArcNerd (profile), 16 Nov 2011 @ 5:55am

Concerned
I am also concerned about this. I had no idea we in Canada got our IP addresses from the US (although it shouldn't surprise me). I thought I'd have at least a few years before Harper decides to do the same thing.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2011 @ 6:09am

Think about the children! What will they watch if you can't pirate stuff?

THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN!
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- PaulT (profile), 16 Nov 2011 @ 6:18am
  
  Re:
  Why would Canadians care what American children can and can't watch when their services are being cut off by another country?
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  - Anon, 16 Nov 2011 @ 7:25am
    
    Re: Re:
    Because this bill will also restrict what Canadians can watch... Because the wording of the text refers to the ARIN addresses as "American" (as in country), and not as America's Region... Totally different.
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    - PaulT (profile), 16 Nov 2011 @ 7:38am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Kind of my point. Our low fore-headed friend above seems to be trying to imply that people only want to fight SOPA to protect their ability to infringe. A popular tactic around here, unfortunately, as actually addressing reality would make them agree Mike has a point, and maybe even agree that the major reasons to oppose "anti-piracy" measures have nothing to do with piracy.
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anonymous, 16 Nov 2011 @ 6:37am

and the USA world police is at it again!
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2011 @ 9:32am

Another Canadian here watching from the outside. No offense to my American friends but your politics, laws and everything else going on in your country these days has made you nothing but a laughing stock for the rest of the world.

Between your impotent government and biased media (OWS doesn't even know what their message is, bunch of dirty hippies, class warfare on the rich!) it's like watching trashy reality TV.

I'd compare the MAFIAA to Flava Flav. Completely crazy and useless and just looking to screw someone.
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MadCanadian, 20 Dec 2011 @ 8:49am

USA taking over the world
The world does not belong to the USA, this is a huge violation, this will end large contract from canadian ISP.
This is an ACT OF WAR. Canadians, arm yourself and fight back!
DDOS is not enough. Now we need to do real damage. Infect and destroy and USA politic, net "security", large corporation websites. Erase databases, spread the word, we will not let USA take over the cyberworld. We are canadians, we do not forget, we do not forgive. Expect us.
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