Former Chief Tech Policy Officer At MPAA Admits That SOPA Was 'Not Compatible With The Health Of The Internet'
from the indeed dept
We mentioned recently that the Chief Tech Policy Officer at the MPAA, Paul Brigner, had jumped ship to the Internet Society -- whose position on SOPA was diametrically opposed to the MPAA's position on SOPA and similar concepts. While there was some concern that ISOC was moving away from its strong internet freedom stance, many of us suspected that perhaps the reason Brigner jumped ship was that his own views were much more in line with ISOC's. Indeed, he's now told News.com that he thinks SOPA isn't just a bad idea, but that it's not good for the health of the internet:"Did my position on this issue evolve over the last 12 months? I am not ashamed to admit that it certainly did," Brigner writes. "The more I became educated on the realities of these issues, the more I came to the realization that a mandated technical solution just isn't mutually compatible with the health of the Internet."And how does the MPAA feel about this?
A spokesman for the MPAA said his organization would not comment on Brigner's volte-face.Well, what can you say when your (now former) chief tech expert agrees with what every other tech expert has been saying all along?
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: internet, mpaa, paul brigner, sopa
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Dollars signs
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Dollars signs
He's been with the MPAA. He's tainted. DO NOT TRUST HIM.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
I know a great number of otherwise tech smart and well informed people who haven't the slightest idea of how the Internet works. Largely because they don't encounter the finer points of it in their day to day work. So I'm not surprised that people like Bringer don't/didn't know what mess of things that DNS blocking would bring. I've worked with a few people like that and trying to explain to them that the Internet isn't ethernet is often like trying to herd cats.
So we worked for the MPAA? People have been know to change their minds and change sides in a debate like SOPA/PIPA (round 1) which is what's happened here. Look hard enough at anyone and you'll find some sort of taint on them. It's called life and what humans do well in life is learn.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Dollars signs
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
What can they say?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Dollars signs
That is, I'll trust him as far as I can throw my house.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
CISPA Is The New SOPA: Help Kill It
To quote, "The broad language around what constitutes a cybersecurity threat leaves the door wide open for abuse. For example, the bill defines “cyber threat intelligence” and “cybersecurity purpose” to include “theft or misappropriation of private or government information, intellectual property, or personally identifiable information.”"
Private information and intellectual property.
We need to stop it, and also stop the back door approach to passing legislation...
http://act.demandprogress.org/sign/cispa/
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/03/r ogers-cybersecurity-bill-broad-enough-use-against-wikileaks-and-pirate-bay
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: CISPA Is The New SOPA: Help Kill It
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: CISPA Is The New SOPA: Help Kill It
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: CISPA Is The New SOPA: Help Kill It
Companies can't share info about attacks? According to what?
I fail to seethe problem cispa is supposedly addressing.
Maybe you bought into the FUD the lawmakers so conveniently crafted for you.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
The only guy admitting anything was the guy that is no the former Chief Tech Policy Officer for the MPAA.
Clearly he's now former because he forgot everything about his job, especially the part about SOPA being a measured and logical step to weeding out all the awful terrorists and kiddie porn-fiends.
Can't blame them for replacing such an obviously incompetent employee...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: CISPA Is The New SOPA: Help Kill It
1. Companies are being hacked by the Chinese and their secrets stolen
2. CISPA would stop that if it were happening, and
3. it would be worth the unintended consequences of these provisions
is astonishing to me.
The only conclusion I can come to is that you are paid to hold these opinions.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Dollars signs
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: CISPA Is The New SOPA: Help Kill It
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Would not comment on Brigner's what?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
His complete reversal.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
About-face is a literally change in physical direction, and is basically used metaphorically.
Volte-face is what most people actually mean when they say about-face: a reversal in belief or policy.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
Here's one solution for that problem.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
"They" didn't admit anything. One guy did, and only then after he jumped ship and was able to voice a dissenting opinion.
"Why didn't they try to evaluate that before any of that was necessary?"
Either they've bought into their own delusions and didn't take on board any opposing opinion in their evaluation (likely, given the secret negotiations aspect), or they're fully aware and don't care as long as they think they'll get to ride the gravy train for a few more years.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Dollars signs
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: CISPA Is The New SOPA: Help Kill It
Fear - check
Unreset - check
Distrust - check
True FUDboy detected!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Nerds can't speak to Congress
Easy-peazy: "We don't need to hear from the nerds....."
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: CISPA Is The New SOPA: Help Kill It
[ link to this | view in thread ]