Seeking the advice and input of ATS members on an important issue...

I guess limiting the possibility to run popular websites at a small budget will become more difficult in the future, which might be the answer of the oligarchy to their continuous failure of limiting free speech at the outer limites of the Internet thusfar.

BSG is a plain Yorkshireman, and I speak as I find...

If this ... man... wants to close ats by stealth, then why not back up the entire network, purchase space in another country, and then re-upload using another countries web id! Now Bsg75 lives in the UK, is this in anyway going to effect me apart from ATS? That is the only thing I have trouble thinkng about. Can another user please help me on that point please?

Failing the no votes on the bill, simply do what I suggest, and move the whole ATS network to another country

Originally posted by BSG75
Failing the no votes on the bill, simply do what I suggest, and move the whole ATS network to another country

I've seen that suggestion a few times, but unless i missed it, nobody has really addressed whether or not that's even possible. Personally, i can't imagine it being very easy to do, i'm sure the government here in the U.S. will put some roadblocks in place to prevent that from happening, in the event independent sites try to flee U.S. servers en masse. I really don't know that much about all this web hosting mambojahambo, so i could be wrong.

[edit on 30-11-2009 by 27jd]

To paraphrase Pink Floyd, "The lunatic is in the House...".

Doesn't the right to Free Speech, guaranteed by the US Constitution, stop this dead in its tracks? I know in the UK and Europe we're screwed by the creation of the Stasi inspired surveillance society, but what happened to the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave???

28 signatures and counting....Looks like I was lucky number one on the petition.

Hopefully this and other measures will help keep this from passing.

Based on the overwhelming support of ATS members on this issue, we've completed and launched an information site, complete with links to a petition and a service that emails our letters to the appropriate congressional representatives.



keepourwebfree.org


The Independent Web Is In Danger

Imagine a web without LOL Cats, Slash Dot, Boing Boing, AlterNet.org, and most of the other popular free web sites that offer a wealth of entertaining and culturally important user-generated and user-directed content. A web where mainstream media and mega-sites dominate and control online content and the opportunities for unconstrained free expression are all but eliminated from digital society. The concept of the "free web," in terms of both free content and free expression, is under attack through proposed legislation disguised as initiatives to "protect online privacy."

If U.S. Congressman Rich Boucher has his way, the independent web will disappear. He is proposing legislation that will all-but eliminate the only source of revenue for small and medium-sized websites, third-party Internet advertising networks. Couched as a "deep concern" for the potential of privacy invasion, the proposed legislation is little more than a methodology by which to strangle the independent web, in favor of the very-large websites from major media corporations.


The Proposed Legislation

In a nut-shell, the proposed legislation would require web site publishers to inform users of the use of third-party ad networks prior to displaying any such ads. It is expected that users will choose to opt-in or out of receiving those ads prior to using the publisher's site. If a user takes no action, the publisher is expected to assume the user wishes not to receive advertising from third-party sources. Since the overwhelming majority of small-to-medium websites have no sales or advertising staff, the only viable source of operational revenue is these very same third-party ad networks. The result will be a severe, if not total, loss of the revenue that pays for servers and technology, and the eventual death of the independent web.


Controlling Third-Party Ad Networks

No-one is arguing the point that we must establish clear rules (and laws if necessary) that restricts the use of the data collected by third-party ad networks for the purpose of targeting Internet advertising. There are valid (if not speculative) concerns over the nature of the collected data and the potential for abuse. However, no solution should result in favoring one segment online publishers, and certainly no solution should harm one of the few growing areas of our fragile economy.


What Can Users Do?

We've set up several methods for you to take action and play a role in having our voices (users of the Independent Web) heard on Capitol Hill.

You can read about our service that enables you to immediately send emails to your representatives, that automatically selects the appropriate targets based on your home address.

Or you can learn about our online petition which we admit may have limited direct effectiveness, but can be an excellent awareness-building vehicle.

You may also link to us to help spread the word about this effort on your own website, or the blogs and discussion boards you visit.

Ok, that was weird.
As soon as this page loaded, I got a VirusScan Alert telling me that nowTrue.swf was detected as "Exploit-CVE2007-0071" and was "deleted"

reply to post by jkrog08


Thought that was you there.

Welp, I'm on there.
As well as someone in England, apparently. Wonder if that'll have any bearing on a American legislation.

Petition signed.

Also available for any volunteer work as needed.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


OMG. I thought the legislation was a little more serious than preventing companies from installing spyware cookies on my computer when I accidently click on an advertisement.

I assure you that reputable advertisement companies will find ways around this legislation unless of course they provide the kind of degenerative, smut advertisements that I see on ATS.

Furthermore, ATS is not as independent as you may think considering it keeps popping up on Google. Perhaps you just want to keep the website running while making easy money from advertisement companies that you are too good for?

Originally posted by Alxandro
Ok, that was weird.
As soon as this page loaded, I got a VirusScan Alert telling me that nowTrue.swf was detected as "Exploit-CVE2007-0071" and was "deleted"

hahaha, that sucks that you got a virus from an ad, but it is a great example of why this bill is actually a good thing.

I understand why the owners of ATS are against it, by allowing the users to choose whether or not to allow ads on their computers will hurt their source of income, but it is a great thing for the average internet user.

can't sign it, gotta be a u.s citizen

Got my sig in got that much.

i was disappointed to see this

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f9803be3b228.png[/atsimg]

come on Alaskans, get with it!!!

p.s. talking about me being the only one from Alaska to sign it so far

[edit on 11/30/2009 by Alaskan Man]

Originally posted by stereovoyaged
can't sign it, gotta be a u.s citizen

Ditto

I was number 51. Kind of surprising it's at such a low number.

For those of us not in the United States - can we still sign the petition? Or will that be considered unkosher or some other nonesense by those who will actually see the petition? (It is addressed to US Congress and all....)


- Carrot

Edit: Nevermind, I think we have to be US citizens.

[edit on 11/30/2009 by CA_Orot]

reply to post by SkepticOverlord



Done! Please keep us posted as to any updates.

I was the 11th person to sign the petition! as for my reps to hell with them I called them when the first stimulus bill came up for a vote and they voted yes..

Is there any way in which people from countries other than the USA can help??