Can we discuss SOPA and PIPA for a minute?

**redbaron** · 01-19-2012, 02:00 PM

To be fair, last year during the superbowl, the NFL somehow got the department of homeland security/ICE to do takedowns on foreign domain names- which is likely to be worse under a SOPA type law.

The fact that they took down domains that had user posted links to content (for people who wanted to watch the superbowl in say Europe, where it wasn't being carried), and then didn't return them for a year is pretty chilling.

The fact that some of the provisions allow the US Government to deny the controlling power of ICANN, take domains without due process or the ability to appeal and hold them for a minimum of a year without restitution if they're found to not be guilty of anything is horrendous.

The whole idea of the internet, is that it's a stateless entity. The reason ICANN was set up in the first place was to prevent any one particular government from being able to control the internet in terms of name translation and content blocking.

This is nothing more than a bunch of very well heeled organizations appealing to government's best interests-- help us improve our ability to squash anything we can perceive as harming our copyright, and it'll grant you power to squelch anything you like too!

We already know how well the MPAA/RIAA have taken to things that were completely legitimate under fair-use parody laws.

Ax · 01-19-2012, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbaron

To be fair, last year during the superbowl, the NFL somehow got the department of homeland security/ICE to do takedowns on foreign domain names- which is likely to be worse under a SOPA type law.

The fact that they took down domains that had user posted links to content (for people who wanted to watch the superbowl in say Europe, where it wasn't being carried), and then didn't return them for a year is pretty chilling.

The fact that some of the provisions allow the US Government to deny the controlling power of ICANN, take domains without due process or the ability to appeal and hold them for a minimum of a year without restitution if they're found to not be guilty of anything is horrendous.

The whole idea of the internet, is that it's a stateless entity. The reason ICANN was set up in the first place was to prevent any one particular government from being able to control the internet in terms of name translation and content blocking.

This is nothing more than a bunch of very well heeled organizations appealing to government's best interests-- help us improve our ability to squash anything we can perceive as harming our copyright, and it'll grant you power to squelch anything you like too!

We already know how well the MPAA/RIAA have taken to things that were completely legitimate under fair-use parody laws.

Or like they took down megaupload today? Kimdotcom has been arrested and the megaupload domain has been seized. Timing is too convenient to not be connected to SOPA. DOJ is trying to send a message.

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 01-19-2012, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ax

Or like they took down megaupload today? Kimdotcom has been arrested and the megaupload domain has been seized. Timing is too convenient to not be connected to SOPA. DOJ is trying to send a message.

Dang it. I had files on megaupload. MP3s of my grandmother reading stories to her grandkids, so we could all download a copy.

penguinofwar · 01-19-2012, 08:47 PM

Apparently the "hacktivists" have shut down the FBI website in revenge, amongst others??? This is kind of funny

FBI website crippled in Anonymous-led retaliation to Megaupload raid — RT

Stealth3si · 01-19-2012, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ax

Or like they took down megaupload today? Kimdotcom has been arrested and the megaupload domain has been seized. Timing is too convenient to not be connected to SOPA. DOJ is trying to send a message.

Yea the owner of MU had already put down 'work' before and the whole Mega Networks group or 'mega conspiracy' was taken down too.

IIRC, the Justice Deparment website was attacked too, among others, by Anon.\

normajean777 · 01-19-2012, 11:41 PM

From a major torrent site press release:

"SOPA can't do anything to stop TPB. Worst case we'll change top level domain from our current .org to one of the
hundreds of other names that we already also use. In countries where TPB is blocked, China and Saudi Arabia springs to
mind, they block hundreds of our domain names. And did it work? Not really."

Ax · 01-19-2012, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillSPrestonEsq

Dang it. I had files on megaupload. MP3s of my grandmother reading stories to her grandkids, so we could all download a copy.

Technically the site is probably still up, they just seized the domain. You could theoretically access it if you knew the IP.

Stealth3si · 01-20-2012, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillSPrestonEsq

Dang it. I had files on megaupload. MP3s of my grandmother reading stories to her grandkids, so we could all download a copy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by normajean777

From a major torrent site press release:

"SOPA can't do anything to stop TPB. Worst case we'll change top level domain from our current .org to one of the
hundreds of other names that we already also use. In countries where TPB is blocked, China and Saudi Arabia springs to
mind, they block hundreds of our domain names. And did it work? Not really."

I wouldn’t get too sad, unless there are no other backups.

Back in the 90’s we had to upload our MP3s to multiple 10MB Geocities and Tripod accounts. That ended and Napster came along. Napster ended and Winmx and Kazaa came along. Those ended and emule came along. Emule ended and Torrents came along. There is always something bigger and better ready to take the place of a fallen.

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 01-20-2012, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stealth3si

I wouldn’t get too sad, unless there are no other backups.

Mostly I am annoyed because they yanked it on the one year anniversary of her death, which is just a little irksome. I actually had quite a few files hosted on there from past sales. (I would stash large high resolution pictures on there.) I used it legitimately.

**redbaron** · 01-20-2012, 10:36 AM

Startlingly enough, there's some evidence that there's a vast majority of megaupload use that's either legitimate or at least grey area.

I don't see why a service should be attacked for what anonymous users are doing- Unless we'll be able to sue the state & auto manufacturer for injuries sustained when someone else hits us with their car- obviously they provided that person with the facilities to injure us!

Ax · 01-20-2012, 01:45 PM

SOPA is officially dead, at least for now. PIPA is still alive and kicking though and it needs to be stopped still.

**Rainer.** · 01-20-2012, 07:49 PM

SOPA and PIPA postponed indefinitely after protests - Jan. 20, 2012

PIPA seems to be stalled, officially.

gracioushelper · 02-19-2012, 09:51 PM

Personally, I'm more concerned about ACTA for the US anyway. We've been wondering how Obama is going to force Obamacare? By getting rid of all generic drugs. All through your friendly neighborhood ACTA. Oops-I took the Spiderman phrase and made it my own. I should be sued for this. CGR would be taken down by SOPA/ACTA/PIPA. Any website that the government doesn't agree with. It just makes me want to download everything I feel like downloading. But I'm not going to...completely.