Poll: S.O.P.A (The Real Story)

[ElPatron]

If anyone around here is over 18, just admit you have pirated a lot of material before "everyone" had internet. Getting on high horses is not the way to deal with this.

You can't defend SOPA because it gives power to the corporations. It's censorship.

 

[Kopikatsu]

This is my problem with the entire debate:

I have not seen one SOPA protestor quote the bill and say 'This section will lead to -blank-'. I have seen SOPA supporters quote the bill and say 'This is why -blank- won't happen, and here is where the punishment for abusing -blank- is spelled out.'

 

[Al-Bundy-da-G]

My concern with SOPA isn't internet censorship. It simply allows too much power and authority to corporations in dealing with use of copyrighted material on the internet.

When you allows an entity the power SOPA or PIPA grants, the end result is always the same. Who ever the bill benefits will abuse the power as much as possible for as long as possible.
Even going as far to pull string within the government to allow them to hold power for a longer period of time.

 

[AT God]

I already knew a lot about the bill. Ironically, the name actually should trick people in to thinking the bill isn't bad. I had to deal with some people who thought anyone who opposed SOPA supported piracy, I no longer speak with them. It is an annoying trick, naming a bill for a good cause but then making the bill awful. Its like making a bill to stop drunk driving, only to hear the bill outlaws alcohol, (Not technically what sopa does but similar principal)

I am glad the bill is being fought, and I hope it can be defeated legally, instead of requiring the big guns of Anonymous to fight it. Hopefully we can beat them at their own game this time.

 

[Jodah]

It's goal is noble but the potential for misuse far outweighs it. Particularly because it will do zero to prevent piracy.

 

[sanzo]

snip

I think you should watch this. Seriously, I know its like 14 mins long but seriously take some time and watch this video. It states exactly my views, my concerns arn't this law, but the side effects of this law.

Interesting watch

Kudos for posting that video

 

[dagens24]

S.O.P.A, (Stop Online Piracy Act) A lot of people seem to be protesting this bill heavily. Although I myself am not to eager for this bill to pass. It would be great if some of you actually knew what the objective of the bill is. A lot of people (no idea why) seem to think that SOPA's main purpose is to censor the internet and make everything shitty with black bars all over their favourite sites stopping them from enjoying content. That however is incorrect. The bill is meant to do Exactly what the name is, stop piracy. Protecting intellectual property is not the same as censorship; the First Amendment does not protect stealing goods off trucks. So why would it protect downloading things illegally from the internet. The only thing that makes me weary about this bill is the lack of clarity. I think it should be revised Heavily before anyone even thinks of passing it. Just remember to learn the facts before you make your decision on whether to Yay or nay this bill.

My thoughts on S.O.P.A

As of 2005, statistics show that offending rates for blacks were 7 times higher than the rates of whites. Should the government imprison all blacks in order to combat crime? No. Just as they shouldn't take down an entire website because there is some pirated content on it (hell, they'd be able to take down an entire website over a link to pirate content). Broad, sweeping persecution isn't the answer to piracy, or any crimes. Should I be considered a criminal because the radio was playing in the background while I was recording something and then posted it on youtube? No. But SOPA and PIPA would give the government the right to consider me as such. It's ridiculous.

 

[direkiller]

S.O.P.A, (Stop Online Piracy Act) A lot of people seem to be protesting this bill heavily. Although I myself am not to eager for this bill to pass. It would be great if some of you actually knew what the objective of the bill is. A lot of people (no idea why) seem to think that SOPA's main purpose is to censor the internet and make everything shitty with black bars all over their favourite sites stopping them from enjoying content. That however is incorrect. The bill is meant to do Exactly what the name is, stop piracy. Protecting intellectual property is not the same as censorship; the First Amendment does not protect stealing goods off trucks. So why would it protect downloading things illegally from the internet. The only thing that makes me weary about this bill is the lack of clarity. I think it should be revised Heavily before anyone even thinks of passing it. Just remember to learn the facts before you make your decision on whether to Yay or nay this bill.

My thoughts on S.O.P.A

There is a big diffence between a laws intention and what it can be used for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_Australia

"In October 2000, Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) attempted under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to obtain documents relating to the implementation of the web filter. While a few were released, many were not, and in 2003 new legislation, "Communications Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2002", was passed by the Liberal government and four independents, and opposed by The Greens and the Australian Labor Party. While the stated reason for the bill was to prevent people accessing child pornography by examining the blocked sites, this bill exempted whole documents from FOI, many of which did not reference prohibited content at all. EFA state that the bill was designed to prevent further public scrutiny of web filtering proposals"

So yea a web blocking bill designed to stop child porn resulting in many sites(often political) being blocked without notfication and with no offending material. That is abuse of power and just flat out censorship.
So as you can see bills like SOPA have a history of backfiring and they often were never this vague or handing this much power to people that only care about there bottom line. If your gonna combat piracy do it with a fine tooth comb not a tactical nuke.

 

[Lunar Templar]

that might be true and all, but do you trust any of the people that will get that power, WITH that power?

i for one, do not, they fuck us over enough as is, they don't need a new tool to do it worse

 

[ckam]

Government meddles in places that others can handles themselves. Government is just a highly publicized mafia.

This is how the art community feels.

 

[NightHawk21]

No this didn't change my opinion about the government, and I think the government should keep its old pruned hands off things they don't understand. I know the supposed intent of this bill, shit I read most of the damn thing, and its been said before that this bill won't actually make piracy stop. Pirates are some pretty creative individuals and quite frankly, its already been said that this bill would do shit all to stop anything but the most obvious piracy. On the other hand, it gives corporations unprecedented power to strike out against competition. So no it doesn't change my mind about anything.

 

[4RM3D]

The bill is meant to do Exactly what the name is, stop piracy.

You know what SOPA does? Trying to exterminate a fly with a freaking flamethrower. Sure, the fly is gone but so is half of your house.

 

[lacktheknack]

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110525062141/uncyclopedia/images/8/8a/You-must-be-new-here.jpg

We're all well aware of what the bill is supposed to do. We're well aware that it could be acceptable after heavy editing. We're also well aware that it's trying to be pushed through as-is, and that's what we're protesting.

We don't need to learn our facts, you need to learn your contexts.