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Stop SOPA

Posted: 14 Nov 2011, 15:26
by The Jester
I don't think I've seen this brought up here, and if it has already then I apologise. You may not think it's relevant to you if you don't live in the US, but you just need to take a moment to consider; if it starts happening there, how long before it spreads to other countries' legislature? And that's ignoring the effects it'd have on sites hosted in the US.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 14 Nov 2011, 15:40
by gcninja
I've already voiced my opinion by "sending a letter over the internet" to my state rep. I'm not sure what will happen, however, if this does get passed, I don't think it'll last long. Also, doesn't the UK have something like going on too?
edit: as of right now, here's where it's at
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-968
and some more info on it too
https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/s968

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 14 Nov 2011, 21:17
by Tycherin
On the bright side of this litigious morass of good intentions and disastrous risks, at least it's being put forth bipartisanly.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 05:12
by Deedles
Just ... seriously, what? No! Just no! How could they even consider letting a law like that pass? It's too much power for one, in comparison, small group to handle, and it's far, far too easy to corrupt.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 05:41
by Geoff_B
For the same reason that they're willing to believe that gamers are mass-murderers-in-waiting I guess. Someone tells them and so that's what they do.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 07:18
by Rikadyn
Deedles wrote:Just ... seriously, what? No! Just no! How could they even consider letting a law like that pass? It's too much power for one, in comparison, small group to handle, and it's far, far too easy to corrupt.


Corporations want more power.

Corporations offer Government more money (and a little bit of the power) to enact the laws they want

People get screwed.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 07:37
by Metcarfre
My American friends;

I know it's quaint, but figure out where you buy stamps and send some physical letters to your representatives. Write them out yourselves, don't copypasta a script from a protest site. If you care enough, that is.

Tycherin wrote:On the bright side of this litigious morass of good intentions and disastrous risks, at least it's being put forth bipartisanly.

Isn't it American law that *all* bills be proposed bipartisanly? Or at least tradition?

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 13:10
by empath
No, he means that the group of representatives that tabled the bill consists of members of both parties. Usually a bill is put forth from one or the other.

It's like if three MPs tabled a bill in Parliament - one Lib, a Con and a Bloc.

Sounds good, but in actuality, all it means is Big Business™ is shopping for puppets on BOTH sides of the House. :(

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 14:42
by Drdiggit42
empath wrote:Sounds good, but in actuality, all it means is Big Business™ is shopping for puppets on BOTH sides of the House. :(


Is Big Business Trademarked? That's very clever and I should have expected it.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 15:20
by madrak_the_red
I thought that congress just rejected an appeal to the net neutrality bill. Doesn't this violate net neutrality?

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 15:45
by Tycherin
Forget net neutrality, this violates the first amendment. I mean, technically piracy is a corruption of the first amendment, but that's like saying that the proper cure for a dog bite is to cut off the person's arm with a buzz saw. And then set it on fire.

But yeah, it seems to violate net neutrality as well.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 19:23
by JackSlack

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 15 Nov 2011, 19:31
by gcninja
Do you think they'd pay for a new monitor since I just punched a hole in my old one from reading that?

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 16 Nov 2011, 14:36
by madrak_the_red
JackSlack wrote:The fix is in.


...seriously?

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 16 Nov 2011, 14:47
by empath
madrak_the_red wrote:
JackSlack wrote:The fix is in.


...seriously?


Seriously.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 16 Nov 2011, 14:53
by madrak_the_red
All of a sudden, I'm incredibly worried

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 16 Nov 2011, 15:03
by DancingFox
I'm very curious about this more than anything else. Because here's the thing: groups like anonymous have shown how much damage can be done over the internet. If this bill is passed, it could go two ways. If it isn't enforced, it is meaningless and nothing will have changed.

If it is enforced, the uproar and backlash is going to be terrifying. The government and corporations involved will likely be attacked brutally and mercilessly, there with be chaos and anarchy and probably quite a range of serious problems until the bill stops being enforced. If a moderately sized group of determined people can temporarily take down websites like Amazon and PayPal, if a very small team of people can break into Steam without them even knowing, what kind of response could come from a much larger group of people after an attack that they can rationalize as practically being directed towards the personally?

I doubt it'd happen immediately. But if widespread enforcement of this bill begins, it's going to be quite a show.

It won't last. But I am rather worried about the collateral damage.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 16 Nov 2011, 16:33
by JackSlack
The bill is going to be passed, make no mistake. All the signs of it being pushed through are there. As I said, the fix is in.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 17 Nov 2011, 05:26
by empath

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 17 Nov 2011, 06:08
by Lisra
Unless someone buys all the dems in the senate it wouldn't survive the veto..

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 17 Nov 2011, 09:23
by empath
Image

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 17 Nov 2011, 10:08
by gcninja
best quote ever
President Obama looked absolutely dashing and positively manly when he made that threat to Republicans.

I have a gigantic man crush on Obama. Everything Obama does sends a thrill up my leg

I feel so gay!
I feel like a such a gay poosey boy!!

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 17 Nov 2011, 18:48
by empath
Image

Image

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 18 Nov 2011, 12:14
by Digital Dolphin
In case anyone is wondering, the following companies are officially in SUPPORT of SOPA:

Adobe
Apple
Autodesk
AVEVA
AVG
Bentley Systems
CA
Cadence Design Systems
CNC Software – Mastercam
Compuware
Corel
Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation
Dell
Intel
Intuit
Kaspersky
McAfee
Microsoft
Minitab
Progress Software
PTC
Quark
Quest
Rosetta Stone
Siemens PLM Software, Inc.
Sybase
Symantec
TechSmith
The MathWorks

Source: http://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/11/1 ... 27-others/

I recommend boycotting the hell out of all of them as you're able to.

Re: Stop SOPA

Posted: 18 Nov 2011, 12:45
by Dutch guy
Problem is I NEED Dassault Systèmes Solidworks for my studies and later probably my job. What I don't get is why they are supporting it. They don't gain ANYTHING by it. (Same goes for almost all of these companies actually)