How SOPA (as written) might kill ATS and free speech online (UPDATED)

Originally posted by rigel4
Thats scary..............
But only you Americans can change your own
destiny.

Yes, my grandparents came here to escape, and now it has caught up to us. there is nowhere left to run nowhere left to hide,

Our leaders all betray us, where are the great warriors whose cry was freedom?
Who is willing to make the sacrifice?

Slowly but surely our rights have been taken from us,

They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!
braveheart

All ittakes is everyone to to just say enough is enough.
Go out there and say NO!

I hope Americans take their country back to the golden Era of "The American Dream".

Lets hope so.

This thing that America has become, is not the America I knew as a boy!

hmm Its interesting. We were talking about this in my AP gov class. The teacher brought to attention that without these bills Freedoms have been getting reduced for 100's of years. Laws have been passed limiting what you can wear, what you cans say to who, what you can do and people have not given a s*** thus so far. I think Americans are too caught up in their daily lives that they don't realize that this is happening while they're drinking their morning coffee, ir reading the newspaper, going to work, or whatever. The fact is that there have been court cases limiting free speech since the mid 1900's. BTW. i almost crapped myself when i saw the homepage that "blocked" me from coming to the site. good touch ATS

Originally posted by rigel4

I hope Americans take their country back to the golden Era of "The American Dream".

I'm all in favour of defeating this proposed bill (SOPA) but your comment on the American Dream is misguided.

There has never been an American Dream, put another way... it literally was a dream.

I find it mesmerazing that no one commented on US forcing other countrys to implement similiar rules to SOPA.
In this wikileaks documents :

In a leaked letter sent to Spain’s outgoing President, the US ambassador to the country warned that as punishment for not passing a SOPA-style file-sharing site blocking law, Spain risked being put on a United States trade blacklist . Inclusion would have left Spain open to a range of “retaliatory options” but already the US was working with the incoming government to reach its goals.

United States government interference in Spain’s intellectual property laws had long been suspected, but it was revelations from Wikileaks that finally confirmed the depth of its involvement. More than 100 leaked cables showed that the US had helped draft new Spanish copyright legislation and had heavily influenced the decisions of both the government and opposition. Now, another diplomatic leak has revealed how the US voiced its anger towards outgoing President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero last month upon realizing that his government was unlikely to pass the US-drafted Sinde (site blocking) Law before leaving office. In a letter dated December 12th and sent by US Ambassador Alan D. Solomont to the Spanish Prime Minister’s office, the US expressed “deep concern” over the failure to implement the SOPA-style censorship law. “The government has unfortunately failed to finish the job for political reasons, to the detriment of the reputation and economy of Spain,” read the letter obtained by El Pais. Racing against the clock in the final days of the government, Solomont had one last push. “I encourage the Government of Spain to implement the Sinde Law immediately to safeguard the reputation of Spain as an innovative country that does what it says it will, and as a country that breeds confidence,” he wrote. But along with the pleas came the stick. In the letter, which was also sent to Minister of Culture Ángeles González-Sinde after whom the law is named, Solomont noted that Spain is already on the Special 301, the annual report prepared by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) detailing ‘trade barriers’ based on intellectual property issues. Solomont’s threat was that should Spain not pass the Sinde Law (described by some as the Spanish SOPA) then the country would be degraded further and placed on the Priority Watch List. This serious step would mean that Spain was in breach of trade agreements and could be subjected to a range of “retaliatory actions”. In the event Zapatero’s government left office without passing the law, but the incoming Partido Popular (People’s Party) were quickly pressured by the US to take the necessary action. In another media leak it’s now been revealed that American Chamber of Commerce in Spain chief Jaime Malet wrote a cautionary letter to incoming Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy. He warned of the potential flight of foreign investment from Spain and urged him to take action on the protection of intellectual property once in office. “[The law's] lack of approval before the elections has been a blow to the country’s seriousness in this matter of such importance,” said Malet, while urging Rajoy to “to retrieve the consensus reached.” Rajoy’s government quickly responded and fully implemented the legislation within 10 days of taking office.

torrentfreak.com/us-threatened-to-blacklist-spain-for-not-implementing-site-blocking-law-120105/

reply to post by blupblup


No one put it better than George Carlin...RIP



This SOPA bill is just another step to ensure the average citizen stays dumb. Much easier to control dumb people

Of course the MSM hardly covers this attack on freedom. Not only US freedom either, they are trying to force other nations too!!!



Here's why exactly this bill is so awful:



Of course all the usual suspects support the bill...which explains why FOX hasn't mentioned the bill once during prime time! Neither has MSNBC fyi.



At least great news outlets like TYT pick up where the MSM clearly fail!!!

reply to post by Shark_Feeder


Not only that, but a traffic ticket also requires the individual officer to have either recorded or observed said violation ... not just a mere 'complaint' filed by someone on the street.

"I saw this guy run a stop sign [license plate provided]" ... isn't going to result in a ticket or fine being issued.

But, as it stands with SOPA ...

"I'm filing a complaint about site A, where member B has posted more than a 'Fair Use' size excerpt of copyrighted content, sans proper attribution and void intellectual rights to do so" ... could very likely lead to site A being taken down without any notice whatsoever.

Makes not a tinker's damn bit of sense ... but when you have Big Money looking to influence or assert their control over 'pocket politicians', you end up with crap like this - Serving Other People's Agendas

As has been mentioned numerous times throughout this thread ... The are existing laws regarding virtually every aspect of this proposed legislation. Revamp, Amend or simply enforce the same.

Much akin to the NDAA which was recently signed into law, this P.O.S. [read: legislature] has far muddier waters with regards how or when it can either be applied, instantiated or, Most Importantly, INTERPRETATED.

Remember our current president's 'signing statement' to the NDAA...

"My administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens," Obama said in the signing statement. "Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a nation."

...and then think of the age old 'boiling a frog' analogy ...

My administration will not , perhaps ... BUT? What then...

There has been effort after effort to 'bridle' the Internet in some form or fashion over the years. Some for 'good reason' - protection of minors, rooting out pedos, alerting to missing children and sex offenders, etc - but the vast majority of proposed legislation(s) thus far have been more focused on finding a means by which to not only 'bridle' but to actually control, shut down or make unavailable that 'content' which certain people and political figures deem 'unfit' == SOPA.

It aint just about folks downloading Barry Manilow tunes anymore.

... and S.O.P.A. would give those who desire it just the means they've long-since wanted to 'filter' from public view as they see fit.

My administration will not ... but damn, it's sure still getting hot in here. ribbit.

reply to post by MrXYZ



Indeed, I posted that very clip just the other day...but not only that...

The "American Dream" says that

"life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth"


Yeah right...

Like that happens

Content distributers (think farmers) have known for years that bugs and parasites have been reducing their profit margins and overall yields. The butterfly nets and "example" cases have not had any significant effect on decreasing the bugs and increasing profits.

OWS type activities, and their support, have shown that there is a larger portion of the population that are disatisfied with the status quo than previously exposed to light. Online forums, and social networking freedoms in general, help to spread disent and opposition to overt control by the MSM and the government. Being able to strongarm site owners to become obedient shills for the PTB or face site blockage is a tool too powerful not to be used.

SOPA and PIPA are simply the DDT which can be used to solve both problems at once. The fact that lots of other things will be killed at the same time is just an acceptable loss when money and power are at risk. But just like with DDT, the unintended consequences could be worse than the problems it solves.

hahaha, I am tottaly against SOPA, but S.O aren't you violating T&C now ?

reply to post by blupblup



Blup I guess you could argue this point with generation that have now passed, my grandfather came here and road the rails a hobo until he set up his blacksmith shop in 1904, he traveled from Canada to almost every state in the union, he achieves a dream, but now our dreams and future and freedom are being eroded bit by bit.

I wonder what he would think today.

reply to post by twinmommy38

Online forums, and social networking freedoms in general, help to spread disent and opposition to overt control by the MSM and the government.

Exactly,

They want to keep the blind leading the blind.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

SOPA is the most dangerous threat to free speech ever proposed by the US government.

No doubt but... let's be clear. ANY threat to free speech is serious because it is that single liberty that defines this nation. We can communicate and share our concerns and also, information that is required in a free society to assure that we are ALL aware of what our elected officials are doing.

SOPA, if enacted against the will of the people and the US Constitution, becomes a tripwire for a future that we will not wish to consider but that we will then dare not ignore.

reply to post by Skyfloating


I think wed all like to believe that but these people have murdered thousands of there own citizens just to keep there devious little plan going. Now they can legally detain and kill us with no due process and there's been no revolt. The more we let them get away with the more there gonna take advantage of our dumbed down population

It amazes me that...

no matter how many times i post SOPA videos..

and petition links to my "friends" on Facebook..

people are still just yakking about Latte's and there cats and the game they are watching right now..

seems like they just don't care or just don't want to know...

I am baffled by the lack of caring i see....

With the power to control the Internet given to the big corporations, anyone on deviantART is screwed. As an artist, I don't feel like going to jail because someone saw my artwork as a threat to their money-making. They would fine me, sue me, throw me in jail, and cover it up and say I copied their ideas. Thousands of Americans on art sites will go through a hell like that.

An appropriate poster for the occasion;

Originally posted by Stormdancer777

Originally posted by rigel4
Thats scary..............
But only you Americans can change your own
destiny.

Yes, my grandparents came here to escape, and now it has caught up to us. there is nowhere left to run nowhere left to hide,

Our leaders all betray us, where are the great warriors whose cry was freedom?
Who is willing to make the sacrifice?

Slowly but surely our rights have been taken from us,

They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!
braveheart

Your grandparents don't look much like those willing to fight for their freedom if they escaped for it.

Why did you mention that part, to say you are not a coward like your grandparents?

If you are like them, you too can be expected not to fight for freedom, but only exhibit bravdo on the keyboard, as long as that is allowed. I suspect most Americans are like your grandparents.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by beezzer
What would the internet look like if this were to pass?

We're going to be running a "semi-dark" site-wide protest soon. That will help you visually understand what much of the Internet would look like.

Make sure you don't forget the supporters of SOPA in your campaign..

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


weird but when I logged in from work pc today, the 'site blocked' did not come up. pc at home does.

why would that happen?