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So what are everybody's opinions on the SOPA and PROTECT IP bills? Here's wikipedia's information about it, if you want to read their take:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Learn_more
And here's google's take as well:
https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/
Neither company is thrilled about it, as said bills will essentially take down both websites (along with play.net prolly).
My personal theory is that if these bills pass we will be typing in the following in 6 months.
www.google.gov
www.play.gov/dr
www.yahoo.gov
you get the drift.
>>www.google.gov
>>www.play.gov/dr
>>www.yahoo.gov
Some of the language of the bills, particularly in SOPA, is worrisome because loose language usage could lead to new, "exciting" legal precedents that could be considered violations of free speech, free press, etc. In that sense, it reminds me a little of the Patriot Act.
Having said that, the intention behind the bills is to protect intellectual properties, not to create an invasive, omnipresent government firewall like in communist China, as some people on the internets seem to be suggesting. The blackouts from Google, Wikipedia etc. are all (I believe) well-reasoned protests with an acute understanding on the issue, but most of the average Joes I've heard chatting about it on teh webz are more afraid that it will be harder to illegally pirate music than they are legitimately worried about free speech violations.
>>www.play.gov/dr
>>www.yahoo.gov
Some of the language of the bills, particularly in SOPA, is worrisome because loose language usage could lead to new, "exciting" legal precedents that could be considered violations of free speech, free press, etc. In that sense, it reminds me a little of the Patriot Act.
Having said that, the intention behind the bills is to protect intellectual properties, not to create an invasive, omnipresent government firewall like in communist China, as some people on the internets seem to be suggesting. The blackouts from Google, Wikipedia etc. are all (I believe) well-reasoned protests with an acute understanding on the issue, but most of the average Joes I've heard chatting about it on teh webz are more afraid that it will be harder to illegally pirate music than they are legitimately worried about free speech violations.
From an internet business standpoint, it has serious implications. No more linking to your youtube account for business advertising. No more linking to twitter to get your customers involved. No more linking to facebook for all the networking there. Basically you would be ill advised link to any site that has the public putting up things because the lawsuits could potentially come to you. If the search engines go down because they'll be front line in being targeted...you'll loose customers. It'll essentially make your web store just like down the street in town, only you won't even have the benefit of a telephone book to get people to you. I sincerely hope that the lawmakers do not even consider the passing of something like this as it would be the death to the internet as we know and enjoy it now.
Khan Academy has a quite nice video explaining SOPA/PIPA and some of the pitfalls in the bill:
http://www.khanacademy.org/
reddit.com admin alienth has a textual examining of the bill that's quite interesting, as well:
http://blog.reddit.com/
TotalBiscuit had an early video(~a month ago) regarding the matter:
http://youtu.be/JhwuXNv8fJM
http://www.khanacademy.org/
reddit.com admin alienth has a textual examining of the bill that's quite interesting, as well:
http://blog.reddit.com/
TotalBiscuit had an early video(~a month ago) regarding the matter:
http://youtu.be/JhwuXNv8fJM
