What We're Doing On This PIPA/SOPA Day Of Protest: Keeping You Involved
from the to-black-out-or-not-to-black-out dept
As more and more sites announced plans to black out their sites today in protest of Congress considering both PIPA and SOPA, a few people asked us if we would take part in the blackout as well. We definitely thought about it, but decided that was not the best use of this site. The key point behind the blackouts for most sites is to alert their users just how bad these legislative proposals are. For that purpose, Techdirt wouldn't gain very much, if anything, in going dark. If you've been reading this site at all over the past few months to a year (year plus, going back to the original COICA bill), you'd already be well aware of why these efforts are tremendously dangerous. Furthermore, we believed that we'd be able to provide even more value in covering what happens today, as these protests roll out. The fact that a couple of pro-SOPA lobbyists joked that they hoped we'd go dark (with one even asking "how much" it would take to get us to stop talking about this issue for the day), gave us even more reasons to keep publishing.Obviously, however, we support the actions lots of other sites have taken in response to this ridiculous attempt to regulate the internet, based on fairy tales and no actual evidence from the legacy content businesses. The sites that have decided to go with a full blackout deserve the utmost respect for taking a true stand on the matter. Similarly, some other sites are adding their voice to the protest in different ways -- whether it's highlighting problems with the bills or pushing people to call Congress.
That last point seemed like a good idea to us, so with each post today, we'll also be posting a widget that will allow you to call your Senators' office, and express your displeasure with PIPA. We've also "grayed out" much of the site, and have a specific link at the top to StopTheWall.us, where you can find out more. I will actually be doing a bunch of meetings with Senate staffers later today, and I hope (and fully expect) to hear phones ringing off the hook while I'm there.
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Filed Under: blackouts, pipa, protect ip, protests, sopa
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My plan of attack
I have also been stopping by a few places here and there, like Youtube, the wiki comments, and others, and disproving the shills by posting relevant links to disproved and debunked information sources, including back to Techdirt.
Even posting information on my facebook telling all of my friends that, even though most are not American, they need to pay attention and try to get heard because it will effect them.
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Re: My plan of attack
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But if there's anything a foreigner can do to help, I'm all ears.
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Just go to the Google home page link, and enter your name and find a zip code.
You can also call your government to try to get the other governments to push back. You can call the US embassy in your country to let them know how you feel.
Just some ideas from me. If others have ideas, feel free to chime in.
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The best thing you can do is to do what little you can to aid what these websites are doing today - urge anyone with the power to affect this to do so.
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Hm, sounds like quite a good way to render the petition illegitimate to me.
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The strange part is, keep in mind, I am an American, registered to vote in Arizona, and entered my legal name and zip code, but if they enact an IP filtering mechanism, then I will probably be blocked as a foreign national faking a petition signing, so it would be moot for me as an American. Who knows if they do this or they process on faith that the person is an American citizen.
But, either way, we also know that online petitions are not taken seriously by congress, but if there is a large enough number, it may give them pause, so not sure if it helps or hurts honestly.
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If you have a representative government, you can contact them. Ask your government to express your concerns to the US State Department, diplomatically.
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http://americancensorship.org/modal/state-dept-petition/index.html
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Blackout Started
As I said recently my UK Trader website www.cardman.com is now blacked out. Only a quickly made page to slap together whatever anti-censorship photos I found. Take a look if you want but the only other page still online is my 404 error page which is sure needed today and is a fun one.
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Re: Blackout Started
Or using some plugin like the one in wordpress
https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/sopa-blackout/
http://www.webmonkey.com/2012/01/p rotest-sopa-blackout-your-website-the-google-friendly-way/
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Re: Re: Blackout Started
Take a look at Rock, Paper, Shutgun. Replace my used photos with their video and not much different...
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com
I am not surprised that people do not come up with very beautiful webpages when it has been quite an rush. It looks good enough and it makes the point.
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http://www.omaha.com/article/20120118/NEWS01/701189867
Lee Terry a co-sponsor of SOPA, is pulling his name from the bill.
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Another site goes on blackout
http://www.reclaimyourgame.com/content/1-Home
When even a relatively tiny site such as ours does this, it speaks volumes.
This protest just might work, after all.
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Makes my glossy screen less straining on the eyes.
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Use Firefox or Chrome + Stylish extension
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** see how that works? **
have a nice day...
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I was able to get through without a issue. Everyone who hasn't called should call.
Also, after speaking with them I get the feeling the phones are very busy today with like minded people.
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wimp.com went dark as well
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Imgur have gone a different route when now every photo they provide has been censored away.
I will look around for more.
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http://www.turkreno.com/
So he took offline his own spell checker and now big words are too much for him. LOL. Goes to show this takes all-sorts.
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http://sopastrike.com/
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(actually a typo, my bad) :\
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Thank you Mike Masnick
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Best SOPA page
http://theoatmeal.com/sopa
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Re: Best SOPA page
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"free and open"
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