SOPA & ACTA Page 3

Started by The Void January 17th, 2012 7:15 AM
  • 10156 views
  • 157 replies
  • Public Poll

Should the SOPA Bill be passed?

U.Flame

Maker of Short Games

Age 27
Male
Unknown
Seen 1 Day Ago
Posted January 17th, 2023
1,322 posts
15 Years


I'm pretty sure you won't need to recreate a script editor and map editor to make a ROM hack if SOPA passes. After all, they're only making the 'pirated software', or the ROM, more illegal than it is now to distribute.

These laws have more or less already been in place, they're just being re-emphasized along with laws against distributing prescription drugs without a prescription and transmitting harmful classified documents to terrorists. If you're complaining about this bill because it brings the legality of distributing commericial roms into question, you might as well rethink the whole "using and distributing commerical ROMs to make new ROM versions" mentality, because it technically is still illegal, you're just getting away with it.
Distribute ROMs? No one here does that, it's illegal here too. We distribute patches. The method of obtaining the ROM is left to the individuals. Besides, hacking is like making a fan game. We don't claim to be associated with GameFreak or Nintendo, we distribute our work for free (let me emphasize again that we distribute patches not ROMs) and we give clarify that the game wasn't made from scratch, credit is given. Nothing is stolen in the process of ROM hacking. I doubt it's illegal under these circumstances, and companies aren't against it.
The more you learn about something, the more you realize just how much you don't know. I've shelved my more ambitious ideas in favor of smaller, more feasible projects and contributions. While I still have an ongoing project, and still intend to experiment with improving Gen 3's multiplayer, it's been much less stressful doing smaller things, like entries for Anthroyd's MAGM contests.

Of which you can check out here:
Naillevaihcam
Magical Altering Gym Menagerie

Mercurybro

Age 31
Male
The Future
Seen February 11th, 2023
Posted January 19th, 2023
623 posts
11.6 Years
Distribute ROMs? No one here does that, it's illegal here too. We distribute patches. The method of obtaining the ROM is left to the individuals. Besides, hacking is like making a fan game. We don't claim to be associated with GameFreak or Nintendo, we distribute our work for free (let me emphasize again that we distribute patches not ROMs) and we give clarify that the game wasn't made from scratch, credit is given. Nothing is stolen in the process of ROM hacking. I doubt it's illegal under these circumstances, and companies aren't against it.
Most ROMs aren't taken directly from the game cartridge and then hacked on, they're usually just cloned copies of a single ROM that was ripped from a cartridge and then distributed through a file-share system. And let's face it, I personally am not gonna buy every single Pokemon cartridge and then rip the ROM from that to play these hacks. It's just stupid. And I doubt many other people will do the same.

That's obvious from the fact that right now 2Cool4Mewtwo just said:
If SOPA passes, I guarantee that it'll be near impossible to make a ROM hack without bypassing SOPA, maybe even if you're savvy on this subject. You'd need your own game cartridge (and maybe even program a game boy emulator program and program that converts files in cartridge to .gba files, all from scratch!
If there was no problem with these hacked ROMs, it would be easy to rely on this legal methods to get the base commercial ROMs. Why? Because if more people were doing this legally than not, we wouldn't be complaining about it right now. All the effect this SOPA crap would have on us is to eliminate the sole minority that gets ROMs from file sharing websites and the like to actually play the games. Sadly, the majority of this thread (and the poll) reveals to everyone looking at this website that the majority of the people on these forums don't get the ROMs legally.

Think about it. Sheesh. >.>

jpp8

Producer

Seen September 19th, 2013
Posted May 18th, 2013
187 posts
13.9 Years
Even if people did get their ROMs legally, the ability to create and distribute hacks with them would illegal under SOPA. That thing they have at the end of the credits: "All things in this game including program, music, and characters are Copyright Nintendo" or something. Merely modifying the game and distributing it in whatever kind of form is liable for a felony in the same way that singing a karaoke cover on Youtube or having a pop song in the background of an uploaded wedding video would be a violation of SOPA.

Brolijah

Secretly (Not) Active

Male
US Central
Seen August 13th, 2022
Posted July 26th, 2018
151 posts
14.2 Years

I'm pretty sure you won't need to recreate a script editor and map editor to make a ROM hack if SOPA passes. After all, they're only making the 'pirated software', or the ROM, more illegal than it is now to distribute.
These laws have more or less already been in place, they're just being re-emphasized along with laws against distributing prescription drugs without a prescription and transmitting harmful classified documents to terrorists. If you're complaining about this bill because it brings the legality of distributing commericial roms into question, you might as well rethink the whole "using and distributing commerical ROMs to make new ROM versions" mentality, because it technically is still illegal, you're just getting away with it.
correct me if im wrong, but yu make it sound like there just merely enforcing things a bit. wat the corporations will be able to do is about as biased and quick judged as wat

the NDAA allows. this bill is literally screwing ppl in the a$$
What did you expect from me?

donavannj

Age 32
Male
'cause it get cold like Minnesota
Seen 5 Days Ago
Posted 2 Weeks Ago
22,513 posts
18.2 Years
If there was no problem with these hacked ROMs, it would be easy to rely on this legal methods to get the base commercial ROMs. Why? Because if more people were doing this legally than not, we wouldn't be complaining about it right now. All the effect this SOPA crap would have on us is to eliminate the sole minority that gets ROMs from file sharing websites and the like to actually play the games. Sadly, the majority of this thread (and the poll) reveals to everyone looking at this website that the majority of the people on these forums don't get the ROMs legally.

Think about it. Sheesh. >.>
The biggest reason I'm against these bills is that they circumvent due process, a right guaranteed in the Constitution for residents of the United States, which is a very important right when it comes to the criminal justice system. These bills allow individuals and institutions, rather than the individual or institution in question, to waive someone's right to due process without their consent.
whoops

U.Flame

Maker of Short Games

Age 27
Male
Unknown
Seen 1 Day Ago
Posted January 17th, 2023
1,322 posts
15 Years
ROM distribution isn't the only thing that's threatened. SOPA goes too far, it's going against freedom. It isn't just piracy that's threatened: parady, fan games, fan anything, various memes, etc. he punishment is too extreme too. I'll express my opinion in the form of some memes I found.
The more you learn about something, the more you realize just how much you don't know. I've shelved my more ambitious ideas in favor of smaller, more feasible projects and contributions. While I still have an ongoing project, and still intend to experiment with improving Gen 3's multiplayer, it's been much less stressful doing smaller things, like entries for Anthroyd's MAGM contests.

Of which you can check out here:
Naillevaihcam
Magical Altering Gym Menagerie

The Void

hiiiii

Male
MOTHA RUSSIA
Seen May 29th, 2019
Posted August 9th, 2015
1,416 posts
13 Years
O.O Here's a list of companies supporting S.O.P.A. It's no wonder the government is pushing the bill. If the opposition is large, so is the number of supporting companies as well... but the thing is, most of these companies are unrelated to the world wide web, unlike the opposition, who are mostly related to the web or are parts of the web themselves.

Spoiler:
1-800 Contacts, Inc.
1-800-PetMeds
2b1 Inc
3M Company
ABRO Industries, Inc.
Acushnet Company
adidas America
Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed)
Allen Russell Photography
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
Alliance of Visual Artists (AVA)
Altria Client Services
American Apparel and Footwear Association
American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)
American Board of Internal Medicine
American Federation of Musicians
American Gramaphone LLC
American Made Alliance
American Mental Health Counselors Association
American Photographic Artists
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
American Society of Media Photographers
American Society of Picture Professionals
American Watch Association
Anatoly Pronin Photography
Andrea Rugg Photography
Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Initiative (ACAPI)
Applied DNA Sciences
Art Holeman Photography
Association of American Publishers (AAP)
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP)
Association of Test Publishers
AstraZeneca plc
Australian Medical Council
Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
Baker & Taylor Ent.
Bay State Psychological Associates
Beachbody, LLC
Beam Global Spirits & Wine
Blue Sky Studios, Inc.
Bose Corporation
Braasch Biotech LLC
Brian Stevenson Photography
Brigid Collins Family Support Center
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)
Burberry
C. F. Martin & Co., Inc.
Callaway Golf Company
Cascade Designs Incorporated
Caterpillar Inc.
Caveon, LLC
CBS Corporation
Cengage Learning
Center for Credentialing & Education
Center Stage Photography
CFA Institute
Chanel USA
Christopher Semmes Photography
Church Music Publishers Association
CMH Images
Coach
Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (CACP)
Columbia Sportswear Company
Comcast Corporation
Commercial Photo Design
Commercial Photographers International
Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System
Consumer Healthcare Products Association
Copyright Alliance
Copyright Clearance Center (CCC)
Coty Inc.
Council of Fashion Designers of America
Country Music Association
CropLife America
Cross-Entertainment LLC
CSA Group
CVS Caremark
Dan Sherwood Photography
Danita Delimont Stock Photography
Dayco Products, LLC
Deluxe Entertainment Services Group
Dennyfoto
Derek DiLuzio Photography
DeVaul Photography
Direct Selling Association (DSA)
Directional Insight
Distefano Enterprises Inc.
Doriguzzi Photographic Artistry
Dolby Laboratories, Inc.
Dolce & Gabbana USA, INC.
Dollar General Corporation
Don Grall Photography
Dunford Architectural Photography
Eagle Rock Entertainment
Ed McDonald Photography
Educational & Industrial Testing Service
Electronic Arts, Inc.
Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA)
Eli Lilly and Company
Englebert Photography
Entertainment Software Association (ESA)
ERAI, Inc.
Eric Meola Studio Inc
Evidence Photographers International Council
Exxel Outdoors
FAME Publishing Co., LLC.
FAME Recording Studios
Far Bank Enterprises
Fashion Business Incorporated
Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy
Fender Musical Instrument Company
Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA)
Ford Motor Company
Fortune Brands, Inc.
Fred J. Lord Photography
GAR Associates
Gelderland Productions, L.L.C.
Gemvision Corporation
Gibson Guitar Corp.
GlaxoSmithKline
Gospel Music Association
Governors America Corp.
Graphic Artists Guild
Greeting Card Association (GCA)
Greg Nikas Photography
Guru Denim
H.S. Marketing & Design, Inc.
Harley-Davidson Motor Company
HarperCollins Publishers
Harry Fox Agency
Hastings Entertainment, Inc.
ICM Distributing Company, Inc.
IDS Publishing
IEC Electronics corp.
Images Plus
Imaging Supplies Coalition (ISC)
Independent Distributors of Electronics Association (IDEA)
INgrooves
Innate-gear
International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC)
International Trademark Association (INTA)
IPC-Association Connecting Electronics Industries
Ira Montgomery Photography
J.S. Grove Photography
James Drug Inc.
Jaynes Gallery
JCPage Photography
Jean Poland Photography
Jeff Stevensen Photography
John Fulton Photography
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Johnson & Johnson
Juicy Couture, Inc
Julien McRoberts Photography
K&R Photographics
kate spade
Kekepana International Services
Kenneth Garrett, photographer for National Geographic
Killing Jar Productions LLC
Lacoste USA
Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
Lexmark International, Inc.
Light Perspectives
Linda Olsen Photography
Little Dog Records
Liz Claiborne, Inc
L’Oréal USA
Lucky Brand Jeans
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton
Macmillan
Major League Baseball
Marcia Andberg Associates LLC
Mark Niederman Photography
Marmot
Marona Photography
McLain Photography Inc
Merck & Co., Inc.
Messy Face Designs, Inc.
Michael Stern Photography
MicroRam Electronics, Inc.
Minter Works of Art
Mira Images
Monster Cable Products, Inc.
Moose’s Photos
Morningstar Films LLC
Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA)
MotionMasters
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
MPA – The Association of Magazine Media
Mr. Theodor Feibel (sole proprietor)
Music Managers Forum-U.S.
Nashville Songwriters Association International
Natalie Neckyfarow Actor/Dancer/Singer
National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM)
National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO)
National Basketball Association (NBA)
National Board for Certified Counselors
National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
National Football League (NFL)
National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA)
National Retail Federation (NRF)
NBCUniversal
Nervous Tattoo Inc., dba Ed Hardy
New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.
New Era Cap Co Inc
New Levels Ent. Co. LLC
News Corporation
Next Decade Entertainment, Inc.
NHL Enterprises, L.P.
Nicholas Petrucci, Artist, LLC
Nike, Inc.
Nintendo of America Inc.
Nissle Fine Art Photography
North Dakota Pharmacists Association
North Dakota Pharmacy Service Corporation
Oakley, Inc.
One Voice Recordings
OpSec Security, Inc.
Outdoor Industry Association
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI)
Outdoor Research, Inc
Pacific Component Xchange, Inc.
Party Killer Films LLC
Pearson Clinical Assessment
Peavey Electronics Corporation
Perry Ellis International
Personal Care Products Council
Peter C. Brandt, Architectural and Fine Art Photography
Peter Hawkins Photography, Inc.
Petzl America
Pfizer Inc.
PGA of America
Philip Morris International
Photojournalist Dave Bartruff
Picture Archive Council of America (PACA)
Pigfactory Music
PING
PNW Images
Premier League
Production Music Association (PMA)
Professional Photographers of America
Quality Float Works, Inc.
Raging Waters Music
Ralph Lauren Corporation
Ramsay Corporation
Rebel Photo
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
Red4 Music/Doogs Rock Inc
Red Wing Shoe Company
Reebok International Ltd.
Reed Elsevier Inc.
Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)
Revlon
Richard Flutie Photography
Rite Aid
Robin Davis Photography, Inc.
Rodger Scott Craig, a member of Liverpool Express, The Merseybeats, Fortune, Harlan
Cage, 101 South, and Mtunz Media
Roger Smith Photography Services
Rolex Watch USA Inc.
Romance Writers of America (RWA)
Rosetta Stone Inc.
Saddle Creek
Sage Studios LLC
Sam D’Amico Photography
Schneider Electric
Sean McGinty Photography
Secret Sea Visions (Photography)
SESAC, Inc.
SG Industries, Inc.
Shure Incorporated
SIGMA Assessment Systems
Six Degrees Records
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
SMC Entertainment
SMT Corp.
SoBe Entertainment
Society of Sport & Event Photographers
Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)
Sony Electronics Inc.
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Soul Appeal Records and Music
SoundExchange
Southern Gothic LLC
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)
SPI (The Plastics Industry Trade Association)
Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association
Sports Rights Owners Coalition
Spring Fever Productions LLC
Spyder Active Sports, Inc
Stenbakken Photography
Stephen Dantzig Photography
Stock Artist Alliance
Stuart Weitzman Holdings, LLC
Student Photographic Society
Studio 404
SunRise Solar Inc.
Taylor Glenn Photographs
Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
Tednologies, Inc.
The Cambridge Don
The Collegiate Licensing Company/IMG College
The Donath Group, Inc.
The Dow Chemical Company
The Estee Lauder Companies
The McGraw-Hill Companies
The Music People! Inc.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
The Recording Academy (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences)
The Timberland Company
The Walt Disney Company
Tiffany & Co.
Time Warner Inc.
Tony Bullard Photography
Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc.
TRA Global
Tricoast Worldwide
Trio Productions, Inc. / Songscape Music,
Twist & Shout, Inc.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
Universal Music Group
Uniweld Products Inc.
VF Corporation
Viacom
Vibram USA, Inc
Virtual Chip Exchange USA, Inc.
Voltage Pictures, LLC
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
Walcott Studio, LLC
Wal-Mart
Warner Music Group
Wendy Kaveney Photography
Western Psychological Services
Westmorland Images, LLC
Wild & Associates, Inc.
Wild Eye Photos LLC
William Sutton Photography
Willis Music
WindLegends Ink LLC
Winestem Company
Winslow Research Institute
Wolfe Video
Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
Woolrich, Inc.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
Xerox Corporation
Zippo Manufacturing Company
Zumba Fitness, LLC
Όφις ην μη φάγη όφιν, δράκων ου γενήσεται.
Age 33
Brittania
Seen 1 Week Ago
Posted September 15th, 2022
5,094 posts
18.6 Years
Can I point out that some of those company (Like Loreal and Nike) really would not be affected by SOPA?

"Gee guys, let's pirate some Shampoo =D!" >_>

Back on track:
I mean guys, ROMs again aren't the biggest issue. Yes in the scope of this form where ROM hacking is a practice that many of us indulge upon, (Seriously I use advance map on already made ROM hacks to make it more fun (Garchomp 1st route ftw!!)) but guys it's affects alot more. It infringes on our rights as internet users. Again, it seems like it only afffects the film industry, thusly Hollywood just needs to get with the program and learn how to properly distribute media.
Made by the Amazing DialgaFan of Pokemon Mansion! =D

Mario The World Champion

Tepig!

Age 41
Male
Western Massachusetts
Seen April 17th, 2017
Posted March 15th, 2017
3,299 posts
18.4 Years
If SOPA does get past, it will never work 100%. There is not enough people to police the Internet, plus tech-savvy people will find ways to get around SOPA. I see it like this...

Imagine there is a lake is held back by a dam. The water in the lake being Internet users and the dam represents SOPA and the dam is to prevent the lake from flowing a dried up river that represents all the sites like Youtube and the Pirate Bay. The sites that you can watch all kinds of stuff and not pay for it. Overtime, leaks will begin to appear in the dam, letting water out into the dried up river. Users found a way past SOPA and are back to watching or downloading. Then a guy appears to plug up the holes in the dam, the guy being people paid by the Government to close the holes discovered by tech savvy users. Just as the guy does that, ten more holes will appear in the dam. And soon there are so many holes appearing that he can't do it all at once without major help. And even if he does get help, it will be too late and the lake will keep on flowing into the river.

In short, the reason this crap is going on is because Hollywood ain't making as much money as before and they are crying to Washington to make us pay for watching TV shows on Youtube. It's not about losing jobs and everything else that SOPA is claiming is happening.

It's all about the money. And they are greedy bastards who want it since we don't want to pay for it anymore.

Am I against it? Yes. We claim to be a nation where people can be free and cry foul on other countries who restrict the freedoms of their people, but if this passes, we'll end up with something worse than what China has and America will once again make an ass out of ourselves in front of the world.
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Age 31
Non-binary
Seen July 18th, 2016
Posted May 26th, 2014
343 posts
11.5 Years
[SIZE="a"]Omg… The NHL is on that list…
NOOOOOO!!!

All Kidding aside, you're totally right in saying half those companies won't even be affected by SOPA. Pokécommunity should really black out, but I guess then we wouldn't have this thread. I Also didn't realize About thé cover vidéos thing. I mean, all of thé young artists (off thé top of my head: Ariana Grande) who are doing
Covers would be in jail.
I'm canadian, but it's scary Joe much this would affect me. I suppose they could move the entire Wikipedia to Canada, but they just wouldn't do that.
Besides, they'd suffer from losing American traffic.


( sorry about the misspellings and typos, my keyboard, and therefor autocorrect was accidentally in French . And I just hate autocorrect in the first place. I'm on my iPod touch posting this.[/SIZE]

-ty-

Don't Ask, Just Tell

Male
USA
Seen May 2nd, 2015
Posted December 22nd, 2012
792 posts
13.6 Years
Thanks to Wikipedia and its army of internet freedom fighters, SOPA and PIPA are going to fail, and in the fairly near future they will introduce them again under a new name and different rhetoric. It's unfortunate that this congress is wasting so much time on this impertinent bill when the economy is in such rough shape. People who understand how the internet works, will understand that this bill does nothing but hurt the economy.

Mr. X

It's... kinda effective?

Age 30
Male
London
Seen July 1st, 2022
Posted June 12th, 2019
2,389 posts
16.6 Years
Part of the reason why it's stalled in congress is because of all the protests against it.

And in theory this bill is good for the economy as it would make it harder for people to steal products which denies companies money. If a person can't steal it easily, then he has to purchase it new at whatever the company believes to be a fair price, or purchase it used from another person. While the companies fair price might not be 'fair' according to the average person, we are in a capitalist society and you have to accept that under it the person selling the item gets to decide the price.

Republican 'trickle down' economics says that the wealth will trickle down from the large companies. Therfor, under republican ideals, applying trickle down to SOPA/PIPA, it would be beneficial to the economy. (Although, the majority of the benefit would be offset be expenditures to enforce the law, but overall it would be a slight positive gain.)

And before you slam me for supporting this bill, I don't. I just see the reasoning behind it, and can see why congress/senate thinks this bill is a good idea. Two things that the majority of you ignore. You have a understanding of the bill and what effects it will have (Although most of you are ignoring the benefits and only focusing on the cons.) but you are ignoring the reasons for this bills creation and what most supporters consider secondary benefits.

As for focusing on other economic issues, not possiable. Republicans refuse to work with Democrats, and Democrats refuse to work with Republicans. Nothing gets done, but this is Democracy at its finest and worst. (People fighting for ideals that they believe in and being able to do so, and that fighting preventing progress.) If you support this form of government, then you will just have to accept that under it events like this can happen.

Edit - Instead of all these groups protesting against this bill, why don't they get together and create a bill that would prevent piracy and keep all this bad stuff that they say SOPA/PIPA will cause, and then have a politican put it foward in congress/senate? With the mass of groups that are against this, its easy to assume that some of them would have a politician or two in their back pockets.

jpp8

Producer

Seen September 19th, 2013
Posted May 18th, 2013
187 posts
13.9 Years

In short, the reason this crap is going on is because Hollywood ain't making as much money as before and they are crying to Washington to make us pay for watching TV shows on Youtube. It's not about losing jobs and everything else that SOPA is claiming is happening.

It's all about the money. And they are greedy bastards who want it since we don't want to pay for it anymore.

Am I against it? Yes. We claim to be a nation where people can be free and cry foul on other countries who restrict the freedoms of their people, but if this passes, we'll end up with something worse than what China has and America will once again make an ass out of ourselves in front of the world.[/SIZE]
This pretty much. It's not about piracy; it's been said several times that these bills would not stop piracy in the slightest. This bill wouldn't directly target the people who actually rip the products and start the distribution; they would target anyone and anybody for even a tiny bit of even unintentional copyright infringement so they get back their "lost profit". Big Entertainment and Content industries weren't making as much money off the Internet as they could since anybody could become an internet celebrity without contract or record deals, so now they just want complete control over it like they already with most physical and broadcast media. We can't trust control of the great stream of creativity and information known as the Internet to these people. Prime example:
For those of you who do think that SOPA will not be abused, let me share a story. Last year near November I believe the popular site Megaupload was taken down for a day. For those who don't know Megaupload is a site where users can upload any kind of document, video, and whatever else you want to share with the world. When it was taken down singers such as P. Diddy, Kanye West, and Chris Brown branded together and created a song called the Mega Song and can be viewed here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Wvn-9BXVc.

Universal Music Group pulled the video claiming that the singers were violating their copyright contracts. They didn't. YouTube later reposted the video and UMG said that they could take down videos from YouTube because of some agreements they had made a few years together.

With even stricter laws on internet censorships what could other corporations do? What could movie and music corporations do if you upload something that they disagree with? You can find a link on the youtube page for more on the story.

Also Trickle Down argument? That crap didn't work in our economy. The rich got wealthier and the poor got poorer. And that's what's going to happen if you apply your "Trickle Down" to SOPA/PIPA: Big Entertainment stays on top and gets even more money while it becomes much harder for startups to make it big. So unless that's your idea of a "slight positive gain"...

Netto Azure

Kiel

Age 30
Male
Alistel, Vainqueur
Seen November 17th, 2021
Posted September 29th, 2021
9,467 posts
15 Years
Megaupload was just shut down.

I am pissed, just seriously pissed. This is a serious punch in the face right after the Internet-wide protests agains SOPA/PIPA yesterday...Ugh.

But whatever, I find it ironic how how all the other file lockers like Rapidshare was not taken down too.

Mr. X

It's... kinda effective?

Age 30
Male
London
Seen July 1st, 2022
Posted June 12th, 2019
2,389 posts
16.6 Years
What the story doesn't mention is that the entire Mega network was shutdown, not just Megaupload.

What it also doesn't mention is that the people arrested were indited on the 5th. So really, this wasn't a spur of the moment thing. It's been in the works for two weeks. Bad timing yes, but still, not a response to the Internet protests.

And it also fails to mention that everyone as ISP Cogent Communication Headquarters (In DC) are being detained due to a search warrant against them which is related to this.

Interesting story. But it's leaving a lot of important information out.

Edit - Willing to bet that they are working on shutting down other cyberlocker sites with servers in the US as well. MU has just been at the forefront recently so of course they are the first to go.

Edit - Unrelated to Mega****storm but,

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120118/09090217454/supreme-court-chooses-sopapipa-protest-day-to-give-giant-middle-finger-to-public-domain.shtml

Edit 2 - I'm not releasing my sources for this, but I've heard that anonymous might go on a ddos'ing spree because of this. Nothing 'official' yet, just a mention here and a whisper their but its probable that anon will do something.

Mario The World Champion

Tepig!

Age 41
Male
Western Massachusetts
Seen April 17th, 2017
Posted March 15th, 2017
3,299 posts
18.4 Years
Damn! I was at Megaupload a few days ago! Sure, the DOJ took the entire Mega network down, but there are other file sharing sites left and even if they were to get shut down, new ones will pop up.

The DOJ took an action. How will the Internet react? And will this only give more ammo for the Anti-SOPA brigade to use?
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jpp8

Producer

Seen September 19th, 2013
Posted May 18th, 2013
187 posts
13.9 Years
INTERNET FIGHT. Keep fighting the good fight Anonymous.

Also, I'm a person who feels that the solution to stopping piracy is not to SHUT DOWN piracy, but to PREVENT it from happening in the first place. This blog post summed up my feelings perfectly:
-Make your show / movie / whatever accessible online.
-Put ads on it so you can make money off of it, or sell a subscription to a competitive streaming service like netflix.
-Make it available
--Everywhere, meaning the country of origin and everywhere else
--As soon as it airs (tv shows) / becomes legally available to purchase (films &cet). not a week and a half later, not three days later, not the next morning. as soon as. people who are savvy about internet downloading and things are generally going to be the sort of people who hang out online and want to talk about their favorite shows as soon as they happen with their friends who are in that timezone/country. you’ll cut down on a mukton of downloading if you just make things available legally faster.
-Square yourselves with the idea that in this age of high definition and internet streaming that seeing a film in a cinema is a premium service and should not be relied upon as a primary method of distribution.
Because the internet does not fit your business model does not mean that you are entitled to control it.
Age 31
Female
Partyin' wit Segata Sanshiro
Seen March 1st, 2013
Posted November 23rd, 2012
532 posts
12.1 Years
Megaupload was shut down. It's not because of SOPA, it's because people are uploading pirated movies/music/etc and people are downloaded them. Same reason why Limewire was shut down and they were shut down even before SOPA came in to the light.

Might as well because companies are artists are loosing out because people don't want to pay up to 5 bucks for a movie or 99 cents for a song.

-ty-

Don't Ask, Just Tell

Male
USA
Seen May 2nd, 2015
Posted December 22nd, 2012
792 posts
13.6 Years
Part of the reason why it's stalled in congress is because of all the protests against it.

And in theory this bill is good for the economy as it would make it harder for people to steal products which denies companies money. If a person can't steal it easily, then he has to purchase it new at whatever the company believes to be a fair price, or purchase it used from another person. While the companies fair price might not be 'fair' according to the average person, we are in a capitalist society and you have to accept that under it the person selling the item gets to decide the price.
Just because someone uses information for free, it does not mean that the person was going to pay for it in the first place. Information is non-tangible; it's not the same as stealing a flat-screen television. So when the product is "stolen" there is not always profit lost. It's like a free song download on iTunes, if some unknown artist places a song on the site for free, there will be thousands of more downloads on the song than there would have been if there was a cost. Another example would be the download of roms; I am not going to buy a Pokemon Crystal cartridge if it is banned from being downloaded online; I simply will not have it.

More importantly, when a country places so many regulations on information and copyrights, potential companies are not going to extend their business to our country. This destroys the growth of new businesses, especially since internet/networking jobs are booming. Can you imagine if Youtube and Google, just to mention a few, were not able to provide the services they are able to right now? This bill would absolutely sabotage the United States economy.

Mercurybro

Age 31
Male
The Future
Seen February 11th, 2023
Posted January 19th, 2023
623 posts
11.6 Years
hmm

If SOPA was going to be approved and passed through Congress, it would be virtually impossible to enforce this over the internet based on what you're claiming. Companies would go bankrupt just trying to keep their copyrights safe. Unless by using SOPA they are going to keep themselves afloat through all the judgments they win in court.

I must be the devil's advocate or something. I don't see any way to side with what seems to be the rest of the internet on this one.. It just seems downright insane for the checks and balances of the government to enforce SOPA and/or PIPA. Then again, they have failed in the past with the prohibition of alcohol..

Nick

Seen 4 Weeks Ago
Posted July 28th, 2021
17,572 posts
18.6 Years
-Make your show / movie / whatever accessible online.
-Put ads on it so you can make money off of it, or sell a subscription to a competitive streaming service like netflix.
-Make it available
--Everywhere, meaning the country of origin and everywhere else
--As soon as it airs (tv shows) / becomes legally available to purchase (films &cet). not a week and a half later, not three days later, not the next morning. as soon as. people who are savvy about internet downloading and things are generally going to be the sort of people who hang out online and want to talk about their favorite shows as soon as they happen with their friends who are in that timezone/country. you’ll cut down on a mukton of downloading if you just make things available legally faster.
-Square yourselves with the idea that in this age of high definition and internet streaming that seeing a film in a cinema is a premium service and should not be relied upon as a primary method of distribution.
That actually seems like the most appropriate form of action in this day and age! That also got me thinking that they should start something online where you can watch movies in the movie theater for a fee. That'd be really interesting if something like that were to happen. It would certainly be more evolving.