If You Want To Better Understand SOPA & PIPA, Here's An Article To Read

from the get-to-it dept

Mon, Nov 28th 2011 6:59pm — Mike Masnick

Last week, as I was writing my big post on the problems with SOPA & PIPA, Alex Howard, over at O'Reilly's Radar blog, was putting the finishing touches on a massive, but incredibly comprehensive discussion of both bills. If you're just waking up to this issue now and want a really complete analysis of what's going on and how we got here (and why you should be worried about both bills), it really is a fine place to start.

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Filed Under: alex howard, censorship, copyright, free speech, pipa, protect ip, sopa

14 Comments

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out_of_the_blue, 28 Nov 2011 @ 7:18pm

Synopsis: Big Media bought politicians, now we're all doomed.
That's my own opinion without reading, don't intend to, but bet it's accurate synopsis.

These bills don't come out of the blue. If you can't see the trend of increasing fascism and how this fits into it, then guess I can only envy your bliss.
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Another AC, 28 Nov 2011 @ 7:54pm

Re: Synopsis: Big Media bought politicians, now we're all doomed.
I like this post, it's a pretty good summary of why we love ootb posts so much: He doesn't need (or want!) to read the article, and despite that he STILL seems to have the correct opinion!

Ignorant bliss is enviable indeed! :oD
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Nov 2011 @ 8:15pm

Govts seek More, always...
History has proven time and again that Govt is NOT your friend. Govts seek more control and money in the name of helping the people. The US Govt is well on its way with no signs of stopping & no one to stop it. Now, the Internet is in jeopardy. The powers that be are on the march, goose stepping into your computer. They will get there through legal or illegal means. Good luck trying to stop them.

Soon, law enforcement will start rounding up �enemy combatants� on US soil in the name of Home Land Security. Happened before, will happen again. Police are becoming more military oriented and are fighting transparency (videos, records and media �detaining� tactics).

Govt does NOT have your best interests at heart, history has proven it.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Nov 2011 @ 9:16pm

Re: Synopsis: Big Media bought politicians, now we're all doomed.
The linked article generally coalesces the plethora of articles that have been presented here into a single compendium. IOW, it provides no new insight beyond what has already been presented here on repeated occasions.

The title of your post is under-inclusive, but it does capture the essence of at least one part of the compendium, the recent hearings before the House Judiciary Committee.
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Nigel Lew (profile), 28 Nov 2011 @ 10:02pm

Big Media bought politicians, now we're all doomed

that is correct dude above me. I gather you don't mind hollywood camped out on your proverbial lawn.

And nice word salad BTW. Are you done making us look obviously in the right yet?

Nigel
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Nov 2011 @ 10:10pm

Apparently Germans are being pirated by Americans.

Quote:
Drugmaker Merck challenges Facebook after 'losing' page

The German drugmaker Merck KGaA has begun legal action against Facebook after discovering what its lawyer described as the "the apparent takeover of its Facebook page".

The webpage is being used by the German firm's US rival Merck & Co.

Merck KGaA said that the social network "is an important marketing device [and] the page is of great value", adding that since its competitor was benefiting from the move "time is of the essence."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15888843

Now will ICE seize all assets from Merck & Co.? arrest their CEO's and bring them to justice?
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Karl (profile), 28 Nov 2011 @ 11:50pm

Re: Synopsis: Big Media bought politicians, now we're all doomed.
That's my own opinion without reading, don't intend to, but bet it's accurate synopsis.

"I haven't read anything by these guys,, but I bet that what they say is this. Therefore, I will continue to ignore anything they actually say, and attack this opinion of them that I developed purely from my own prejudices."

Good for you! Unfortunately, bad for the rest of us, especially the ones who actually read the bill.
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The eejit (profile), 29 Nov 2011 @ 1:56am

Re: Govts seek More, always...
And guess what happens in due course?

Revolution of one kind or another. When you become an autocracy, you can never relax control, which leads to a necessary revolution. Look at what happened in Libya and what is happening in Syria. Peaceful protests are working, in spite of state authoritarianism.

Cut that off, and you force people to combat you, and the people have lots of guns in America.
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The eejit (profile), 29 Nov 2011 @ 2:00am

Re: Merck challenges Facebook
lolno.

SOPA isn't meant for the little guys; plus, imagine the backlash when the entirety of Facebook is taken offline and the ICE page shows up. There would be worldwide riots as people couldn't play Farmville or [insert FB-only game here].
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DOlz (profile), 29 Nov 2011 @ 3:12am

Re: Synopsis: Big Media bought politicians, now we're all doomed.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.""
Isaac Asimov, column in Newsweek (21 January 1980)
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Just John (profile), 29 Nov 2011 @ 3:30am

Re: Govts seek More, always...
My hypothesis is they feel the need to do "something".
Heaven forbid that someone has nothing to do when nothing needs fixed.

The problem is, instead of actually doing what they should and examining the governmental services to see which ones should be removed, downsized, or adjusted to bring it in line with the world we live in, they want to keep what they have and add more so they are doing "something".
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Nov 2011 @ 5:16am

Of ciourse,government doesn't appear to be your friend,because they often do the things that are good for you in the long run.

They are a bit like the doctor making you take the ilol tasting medicine. You won't like it now,but you will feel. Better later!
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Nov 2011 @ 8:37am

Re:
Like wars on countries that pose no direct threat.
Wasting Billions on inefficient programs ($100B in US Medicare alone).
Giving the elected- top benefits and insider trading so they can become millionaires.
Passing laws that Censor the Internet, unjustly seize domains & crush transparency.
Create defective agencies: TSA, DOE, SEC-(2008), DOI �(MMS Oversight of Gulf spill), etc
Created monopolies with subsidies: Insurance-(McCarran-Ferguson Act), Ethanol, Solar panels, etc
Senate not passing a US funding bill since 2008 to shirk budgetary responsibilities & OVERSPEND by $1.5T a year.

What color is the sky of the world you live in AC?? Loser
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MonkeyFracasJr (profile), 29 Nov 2011 @ 8:54am

Re: Re: Synopsis: Big Media bought politicians, now we're all doomed.
"The linked article generally coalesces the plethora of articles that have been presented here into a single compendium."

And cites source and examples.

Which further displays the growing realization and distaste for such blatant attempts at censorship and unscrupulous business practices.

Spread the word and do it with credibility.
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