Heritage Foundation Says SOPA Threatens Free Speech

from the pirates? dept

We recently wrote about the somewhat surprising move that The Heritage Foundation had come out against SOPA. This was surprising mainly because the think tank was famous for being very closely aligned with the MPAA on copyright issues in the past -- even to the ridiculous degree of insisting that "there is no difference between shoplifting a DVD from a store and illegally downloading a copyrighted movie from Kazaa." However even an organization that has made that statement in the past recognizes that SOPA/PIPA aren't actually about copyright, but about regulating the internet in dangerous ways.

The think tank has decided to speak out again about how SOPA "threatens free speech." Much of the discussion focuses on the government's totally bungled seizure and censorship of Dajaz1.com. It notes how ridiculously overbroad this kind of censorship is under existing law, and questions why we would want to go down the "slippery slope" of expanding those powers for the government.

Once again, when even the most strident supporters of copyright are recognizing what horrible bills SOPA and PIPA are, it makes you wonder how Congress can continue to move forward with them.
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Filed Under: copyright, free speech, pipa, protect ip, sopa
Companies: heritage foundation


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  • icon
    bjupton (profile), 29 Dec 2011 @ 1:15am

    Hmmm, now just why could it have such deep support in Congress.

    I'm at a total loss here.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 29 Dec 2011 @ 1:42am

      Response to: bjupton on Dec 29th, 2011 @ 1:15am

      Must be all those perfectly legal highs in Congress and the Senate.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        TtfnJohn (profile), 29 Dec 2011 @ 12:15pm

        Re: Response to: bjupton on Dec 29th, 2011 @ 1:15am

        Oh!!! You mean you get little white bags of white nose candy safely on Capitol Hill?????

        Shhhhhhh, don't say that out loud! The place would fill up with only the most ignorant, unqualified and useless people! We can't have that!! Gotta keep some of the perks quiet, you know.

        Sorry Mr Speaker. I may be out of order. But I also see it's too late because it's already happened.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Violated (profile), 29 Dec 2011 @ 1:19am

    OPEN

    We can only be happy that more and more people wake up and smell what SOPA is shovelling as each day passes.

    OPEN is a much better plan to remove funding sources from pirate sites without the major censorship aspect which violates First Amendment rights.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    TechnoMage (profile), 29 Dec 2011 @ 1:52am

    Its pretty bad when even THEY realize this is bad

    I can pretty much assume that most things that come out of this neo-conservative think tank are going to be counter to useful policies.

    When even they have to admit that something is going to be bad and hurt America's standing.... ugh... My head hurts thinking about the stupidity of SOPA.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    SimonTek, 29 Dec 2011 @ 2:01am

    Todd Rokita

    Actually my congressman Todd Rokita is against SOPA, I am happy for that. Glad I moved here.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Paul, 29 Dec 2011 @ 2:07am

    wonder how ?

    In my opinion there is a hidden fuel that pushes this kind of bills and it is "control" or the lack of it. And its not happening only in America it is a global phenomenon.

    Internet is the only medium that offers free speech. The rest are just near images.
    There is always somebody that does not want for some information to spread. We all have done something wrong in our lives and told to our selves "if only these two people would now about it...". So what you get is "free speech" where you can talk about it but don't shout to loud. Powerful people always wanted to suppress some information and they bribe the media to keep it or do other ugly things. In the end you will get rumors about something but not real information.
    Fast forward to present and shouting something on the internet has the potential of a global audience, uuu that's not good, that means that killing a woman at a protest in some country will not have the effect of a rumor but you get 1 - 4 videos of that happening speeding faster than a virus on a global scale. Ohh shit now we've don it... what do we do next ahh crap we need to get rid of this internet.

    do a google search on "Death of Neda Agha-Soltan"

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      btrussell (profile), 29 Dec 2011 @ 4:05am

      Re: wonder how ?

      Do a DuckDuckGo search.

      At least until google can explain secret deals it has with certain copyright holders, allowing them to pull down free speech videos.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Xenu, 29 Dec 2011 @ 7:29am

        Re: Re: wonder how ?

        Nows not the time to be starting a fight with Google. We'll deal with their back room dealings later.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          btrussell (profile), 29 Dec 2011 @ 9:13am

          Re: Re: Re: wonder how ?

          I'm not in any shape to fight anyone at the moment. Can't even be bothered to change my feed source. But it is very easy to change search engines, including the default in the browser.


          It is no fight. Changing from Godaddy, sorry Google, is not starting a fight.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Dec 2011 @ 2:16am

    Once again, when even the most strident supporters of copyright are recognizing what horrible bills SOPA and PIPA are, it makes you wonder how Congress can continue to move forward with them.

    It's really simple, our current government over all is expanding it's power over us, it is expanding and consolidating. We will live in a nudged saul alinsky, cass sunstein authoritarian oligarchy.

    The 4th amendment has been mostly nullified, the 1st is under attack, all we have to save us is the 2nd.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      The Devil's Coachman (profile), 29 Dec 2011 @ 6:53am

      Re:

      Unfortunately, you are correct. Time to go buy a nice new Glock 37. And maybe and HK-91.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Dec 2011 @ 3:00am

    Everyone knows by now, except those who are up to their ears in money.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    FM Hilton, 29 Dec 2011 @ 3:46am

    How can Congress do this?

    They're reminded of what they're being paid off for: re-election money.

    The money talks, bullshit walks. With the obscene amounts of cash being waved in front of members, it's no wonder they tend to forget who they're working for.

    It's also obvious that most of them don't read anything on the Internet, lest they become confused by the real issues with SOPA/PIPA.

    All they know is what their handlers tell them.

    That's what you get when you have technologically-challenged people running the country.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Dec 2011 @ 4:53am

    How Congress can move forward

    ... it makes you wonder how Congress can continue to move forward with them.


    Congress Ends 2011 With Record-Low 11% Approval” by Frank Newport, Gallup, Dec 19, 2011:
    Annual average for 2011, 17%, also lowest in Gallup history

    PRINCETON, NJ -- A new record-low 11% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, the lowest single rating in Gallup's history of asking this question since 1974. This earns Congress a 17% yearly average for 2011, the lowest annual congressional approval rating in Gallup history.

    [...more...]

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    known coward, 29 Dec 2011 @ 6:18am

    Silly Mikie,

    " . . . it makes you wonder how Congress can continue to move forward with them."

    because they are paid too. :o)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    AJBarnes, 29 Dec 2011 @ 6:29am

    Good Ol' Uncle Sam

    I just don't know why you think the government will not do a good job being the police for the MPAA and RIAA. Look at the fine work they have done on Medicare, Cash for Clunkers, the Stimulus program fund distributions, Levees in New Orleans, disaster relief for Katrina, Gun running to Mexico. Why, it's as if you didn't think the money their paid from their lobyists is effective at all!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Yankee Infidel, 29 Dec 2011 @ 7:24am

    updated list of supporters and opposers to SOPA and PIPA

    Mike,

    You have put together a lot of individual articles that stated which companies, organizations, and Congress critters support or oppose SOPA and PIPA as a running process as the info rolled in about them.

    I think it would be good to write a summary update article listing off what we currently know as the supporters and opposers, with special notation of those who have changed sides (whether going from supporting to opposing or vice versa).

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Franklin G Ryzzo (profile), 29 Dec 2011 @ 2:40pm

    Once again, when even the most strident supporters of copyright are recognizing what horrible bills SOPA and PIPA are, it makes you wonder how Congress can continue to move forward with them.

    Mike, this one is easy to explain...

    Queue up Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon, Track 6...


    MONEY!!!!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Barry, 30 Dec 2011 @ 6:38am

      Response to: Franklin G Ryzzo on Dec 29th, 2011 @ 2:40pm

      I got another good one. Read the lyrics to ...And Justice for All by Metallica. It pretty much sums up everything.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        btrussell (profile), 30 Dec 2011 @ 7:41am

        Re: Response to: Franklin G Ryzzo on Dec 29th, 2011 @ 2:40pm

        "Read the lyrics to ...@@@ @@@@@@@ @@@ @@@ by @@@@@@@@@."

        And get sued for copyright infringement? No thanks.

        I have a license(I've purchased at least 5 over the years(any other license expire when medium it is written on deteriorates? Drivers license etc...)) for Floyds' "Money."

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Barry, 30 Dec 2011 @ 8:39am

          Re: Re: Response to: Franklin G Ryzzo on Dec 29th, 2011 @ 2:40pm

          Dont worry about it. Merely reading the lyrics wont get the copyright nazis after you. Only downloading the song without paying.

          link to this | view in chronology ]


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