No, A New SOPA Is Not Likely, But There's Still Plenty Of Damage That Can Be Done

from the not-out-of-the-woods-yet dept

Wed, Dec 26th 2012 9:53am — Mike Masnick

This isn't surprising, as we've been hearing the same thing for a while now, but those in Congress still remember the SOPA/PIPA protests and have no desire to go through that process again. Thus, don't expect a new SOPA/PIPA to show up in Congress any time soon. The article even claims that watered down or limited versions are a bit too scary for politicians. Of course, this still requires plenty of vigilance. As we noted back in July, Lamar Smith did look to zip through one small piece of SOPA when no one was looking, and it wouldn't surprise me to see more "little" attempts like that. But, it seems clear that the main event will move to different venues.

Historically, when the entertainment industry doesn't get its way in Congress, it just moves into international fora to seek the same thing. That's how we got the DMCA, of course. Congress hadn't been interested until copyright lobbyists went to WIPO (the World Intellectual Property Organization) and got it to create a treaty in 1996 that more or less required the DMCA. This is why we're constantly paying attention to various trade agreements and treaties, like TPP and others, which are really (among other things) about creating more ways for the entertainment industry to backdoor in new copyright laws. They'll get these agreements in place, and then point to them and insist that we have to change our laws due to "international obligations," ignoring, of course, that they were the same people who got those international obligations put in there in the first place.

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Filed Under: congress, copyright, sopa, tpp

11 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 26 Dec 2012 @ 10:05am

Mike Masnick just hates it when copyright is enforced.
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- Anonymous Coward, 26 Dec 2012 @ 10:34am
  
  Re:
  It's not enforced
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  - Anonymous Coward, 26 Dec 2012 @ 10:34am
    
    Re: Re:
    and these laws are not going to help it be enforced.
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out_of_the_blue, 26 Dec 2012 @ 10:24am

"This isn't surprising." -- The very definition of "Masnicking"!
I suppose it fills space and gives opportunity to comment. So here's mine:

Those with billions at stake in "the entertainment industry" aren't going to quit or even play fair. Not a bit of history suggests otherwise. It's strong argument for taxing away high incomes and criminal indictments (especially for politicians) -- for both crimes already committed and to prevent more -- as the results of leaving The Rich "free" to exercise power are ALWAYS the same: they wreck liberties and economies. Those who can't learn from history are the serfs of "capitalism", arguing against their own class interests.
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- Shadow Dragon (profile), 26 Dec 2012 @ 10:39am
  
  Re: "This isn't surprising." -- The very definition of "Masnicking"!
  What isn't surprise that you're so predictable with your incoherent rant that no one takes you seriously that you lose all credibility your position either by accident it choice.Which make me suspect that you're a phony and true position is opposite of what you claim repress,if you're truly on maxiumalist side,you would a better argument then just predictable incoherent arguments.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 26 Dec 2012 @ 10:46am
    
    Re: Re: "This isn't surprising." -- The very definition of "Masnicking"!
    a better argument then just predictable incoherent arguments.
    
    The chatterbot needs more work.
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    - Shadow Dragon (profile), 26 Dec 2012 @ 10:50am
      
      Re: Re: Re: "This isn't surprising." -- The very definition of "Masnicking"!
      So Average Bob of The Blur be bots.That explains why they don't reply.
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- Anonymous Coward, 26 Dec 2012 @ 10:54am
  
  Re: "This isn't surprising." -- The very definition of "Masnicking"!
  How are 95+ year copyprotection lengths 'fair'. How are constant extensions, stealing from the public domain, exactly 'fair'.
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- Zakida Paul (profile), 26 Dec 2012 @ 11:52am
  
  Re: "This isn't surprising." -- The very definition of "Masnicking"!
  Why do you always critcise Mike for being pro corporation and then on articles like this you come over all pro corporation yourself?
  
  On the Instagram article you came down on Mike for being pro corporation and yet on the Hollywood article you were defending the corporate whores that run Hollywood. Why so inconsistent and even hypocritical?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Dec 2012 @ 12:00pm

and dont forget the part where it's legal to back up your bought disks as long as you dont try to bypass the DRM or other protection. was the legalizing bit a waste of fucking time or what? all to please the entertainment industries whilst crapping on the people again! talk about pissing up my back but telling me it's raining!!
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Dec 2012 @ 10:41pm

I found it amusing that the free culture epic fail is self evident in that 10 years after creative commons so much energy is still being spent on trying to take what is not given, when there must be so much quality content being made and given away for free - surely the solution is not to oppose copyright but to just render it inconsequential in practical terms by means of abandonment by artists and creators.

begs the question, why do artists still want their rights protected? and why with all the great legally free content available that rivals that which is protected does anyone feel compelled to prove the value of copyright by insisting on taking that which is not given?

surely, if people truly wanted what was given, and stopped fighting for what is not given, that would be the proof - however as it is, this truth is the complete opposite, a free culture copytheft fail.
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