SOPA & ACTA

[The Void]

https://rt.com/usa/news/anonymous-doj-universal-sopa-235/

Haha, called it.

I am PISSED OFF with Megaupload having been shut down. So what if some of the downloadable stuff from the site are pirated? They didn't even shut down Torrentz, where almost ALL their torrents are pirated/ripped off. How about the other sites such as 4shared or Rapidshare? And not only did they take the site down, but they also arrested people in relation with the site! This is just... crazy. It's absurd, and it makes me really mad.

 

[CapricornPsyche]

I am PISSED OFF with Megaupload having been shut down. So what if some of the downloadable stuff from the site are pirated? They didn't even shut down Torrentz, where almost ALL their torrents are pirated/ripped off. How about the other sites such as 4shared or Rapidshare? And not only did they take the site down, but they also arrested people in relation with the site! This is just... crazy. It's absurd, and it makes me really mad.

and this was before that atrocious bill was even passed!(even if it was we're not gonna follow that stupid law anyway)

I swear we're getting closer and closer to a revolt here...

 

[coco33]

i hate sopa thier trying to ruin our lives thiers milions of pepole including us against it it better fail and they tried so many tries peristant idtiods

 

[Livewire]

Just to clarify, neither PIPA nor SOPA have been voted on/passed yet. Both bills are basically on life support, as Congressional leadership has backed off, for now. The Megaupload FBI sting is unrelated to either bill.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

I am PISSED OFF with Megaupload having been shut down. So what if some of the downloadable stuff from the site are pirated? They didn't even shut down Torrentz, where almost ALL their torrents are pirated/ripped off. How about the other sites such as 4shared or Rapidshare? And not only did they take the site down, but they also arrested people in relation with the site! This is just... crazy. It's absurd, and it makes me really mad.

Megaupload done goofed, from what I heard, and opened a server in the US.

That's a no-no, as it's harder to flaunt international law (let's face it, torrents avoid closure by using and abusing every loophole that they can) when you're actually operating out of the country that you're trying to not get sued by.

Also, I think that Megaupload was shut down as an example. Because the screwed up, the Feds were eager to jump down their throats before they wriggled away.

 

[CapricornPsyche]

Megaupload done goofed, from what I heard, and opened a server in the US.

That's a no-no, as it's harder to flaunt international law (let's face it, torrents avoid closure by using and abusing every loophole that they can) when you're actually operating out of the country that you're trying to not get sued by.

Also, I think that Megaupload was shut down as an example. Because the screwed up, the Feds were eager to jump down their throats before they wriggled away.

Now THAT I didn't know until now... maybe this'll be a lesson to those who try to host piracy sites in the US.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Now THAT I didn't know until now... maybe this'll be a lesson to those who try to host piracy sites in the US.

It was just a server, if I recall correctly, opened in Virginia.


Basically, international law can be boiled down to "You're inside this line, and we can put your head on a platter. You're outside, and we can't touch you." Megaupload, quite literally, crossed the line into US territory.

Here's the source.

 

[Akio123]

What's interesting about Megaupload is that it could be utilized properly FOR the entertainment industry.

I mean think about it; in the same way that many albums are just released on certain sites and on iTunes, many major studios could have vied for purchasing Megaupload (or other filesharing sites) and use them in the same way netflix is used. I mean anime companies did that with crunchyroll and it's a pretty successful venture. I mean I'm not saying let's not go to the movies anymore, but I mean for the movie industry it really just comes down to DVD and blueray sales which can just be uploaded and purchased online then.

 

[The Void]

I think this is a threat to sharing sites like Mega Upload who plan to open servers in the US. I bet Rapidhsare is next... but hopefully not. >.<

 

[Akio123]

I think this is a threat to sharing sites like Mega Upload who plan to open servers in the US. I bet Rapidhsare is next... but hopefully not. >.<

I have a question then:
What filesharing sites are hosted on US soil?
This also begs the question: Say, by some miracle, SOPA passes how can the government really regulate filesharing sites given many are hosted in other countries? I mean wouldn't that effectively make us China?

 

[Oryx]

Just to keep you guys up to date, Lamar Smith has withdrawn SOPA.

 

[CapricornPsyche]

Just to keep you guys up to date, Lamar Smith has withdrawn SOPA.

That's good! 8D

and as for his "finding a better solution comment" he'd better not pull something like this bill again... otherwise I'd send him an angry angry letter... >[

 

[Nihilego]

So... it's not passing? This is amazing news! Although as one of the comments on that article (yes, I am bored enough to read those) said, it's a battle won but not the war. They'll surely find something else to threaten the internet... but at least we know now that the protesting actually did something for once! Now if a bit of that could only be applied in offline life, lol.

 

[Guest123_x1]

Althought SOPA may be withdrawn now, watch as they might come up with something even worse and sneak/ram it through, much like they did with the big financial sector bailout in 2008 (that we were told was "desperately needed" to "save our economy from another Great Depression").
I'm very sure they'll come up with something tougher and ram it through, just like with the bailouts, stimulus packages, hate crimes laws, and health care takeover.

 

[Akio123]

Isn't PIPA still on the table though? I mean yes SOPA was a step towards dictatorship, but PIPA isn't much better...like the battle is still going on.

 

[Bela]

protesting actually did something for once!

We'd be nowhere if it weren't for corporate giants like Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc. opposing this legislation. This only stresses the need for campaign finance reform and getting money out of politics--it completely and utterly controls our "democratic" process.

Senator Feinstein is a wonderful example of what this really was--only two corporate sides fighting each other. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/18/sopa-blackout-internet-censorship_n_1211905.html

In December, HuffPost reported that Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a Protect IP co-sponsor with deep ties to both Hollywood and the technology industry, thought disputes between two of her most prominent corporate constituencies had been worked out. After that story ran, Feinstein attempted to broker a compromise, calling both tech companies and film studios.

Walt Disney Co. President and CEO Bob Iger declined the invitation on behalf of content providers. "Hollywood did not feel that a meeting with Silicon Valley would be productive at this time," said a spokesperson. The meeting took place with only tech companies present. Feinstein, once a reliable vote for the existing version of Protect IP, is now working hard to amend the bill, according to Senate Democratic aides.

EDIT: Also, here is a nice history of Congress passing legislation in favor of the film/entertainment industry, a summary of what SOPA and PIPA would have done, and why there is much to worry for in the future:

​

 

[Oryx]

Althought SOPA may be withdrawn now, watch as they might come up with something even worse and sneak/ram it through, much like they did with the big financial sector bailout in 2008 (that we were told was "desperately needed" to "save our economy from another Great Depression").
I'm very sure they'll come up with something tougher and ram it through, just like with the bailouts, stimulus packages, hate crimes laws, and health care takeover.

Well that was a threat before SOPA, and will always be a threat. I don't really understand how people don't see SOPA being withdrawn as not a big victory because of the "we're looking for other solutions" or whatever. Fighting copyright vultures has always been a problem and will always be a problem. What makes the time after SOPA more dangerous than the time before it? If anything it's less dangerous because now people are more aware of the issue and the government is more aware that people aren't going to just stand around and be used like that.

 

[femtrooper]

That video was super scary...I am glad to see this being scrapped, but it is still very scary.

 

[CapricornPsyche]

That video was super scary...I am glad to see this being scrapped, but it is still very scary.

I agree, Mike's video made a very scary point there...

it's a good thing I never joined megaupload... I've only used regular download options and even then it wasn't much...

 

[xelarator]

Isn't this SORT OF a good thing?

Stop- Prevent something from happening
Online- the internet
Piracy- the unauthorized reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product, etc
Act- Doing something about something

Isn't SOPA supposed to STOP ONLINE PIRACY? My Teachers told everyone at my school not to use Wikipedia as a Reasearching tool. Why?

Anyone can post on Wikipedia.

That would explain why they're fighting against SOPA, but then again, Wikipedia has those refrences on their pages, so they should be fine.

Why is the Pokecommunity worried that they might shut down? You guys have been here since 2002 according to the small print- ow my eyes. The Pokemon Company, or whoever owns Pokemon would have shut this place down if PC did'nt have the copyright things, or this:

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As long websites have that, they should be fine. If they DIDN'T and they were doing PIRACY, then they SHOULD be shut down.

But hey, if SOPA does more harm than good, I say no.