Protect IP - Internet end times?

[Estebang]

Well, after today, both PIPA and SOPA are bleeding cosponsors. I think that senators and reps are beginning to realize that with bullshit like this they'll lose the youth vote.

Wait, has anyone under 30 in the US actually ever voted on anything besides Obama and weed legalization before?

[Vyxx]

Well, after today, both PIPA and SOPA are bleeding cosponsors. I think that senators and reps are beginning to realize that with bullshit like this they'll lose the youth vote.

Wait, has anyone under 30 in the US actually ever voted on anything besides Obama and weed legalization before?

Legalize Marijuana.
Make religious douche bags coming to my door illegal.

world is saved.

[neorichieb1971]

USA is hardly in any sort of position to start bullying the world right now. They need friends not enemies.

At the moment the internet does not discriminate, it treats everyone equal regardless of IF right or wrong. Therefore if it does change it needs universal agreement, not just the USA.

[Ex-Cyber]

Well, after today, both PIPA and SOPA are bleeding cosponsors. I think that senators and reps are beginning to realize that with bullshit like this they'll lose the youth vote. In my jaded view, young people tend to not give a shit unless something affects them directly, and this did. Now, I think we'll see a scramble to oppose the bills to appear more hip.

I don't think the message is really sinking in. Most of the influential people who have backed off this bill still seem to think that there's just a little unforeseen technical problem and that they can just tweak the language a bit and "fix" it.

[Acid King]

Well, after today, both PIPA and SOPA are bleeding cosponsors. I think that senators and reps are beginning to realize that with bullshit like this they'll lose the youth vote. In my jaded view, young people tend to not give a shit unless something affects them directly, and this did. Now, I think we'll see a scramble to oppose the bills to appear more hip.

The only problem I see is if the next revision contains deliberately dense and confusing language rendering people unable to rally against something they don't really understand.

I don't think this was ever going to cost any of the sponsors their job and come November, very few people would be basing their vote on their reps vote on this crap. Besides, they can always just stuff it in a drawer and cram it in some unrelated piece of legislation down the line.

[tinotormed]

Under protest against these bills, I force my own channel to go black (well, almost)

[Moniker]

Well, after today, both PIPA and SOPA are bleeding cosponsors. I think that senators and reps are beginning to realize that with bullshit like this they'll lose the youth vote. In my jaded view, young people tend to not give a shit unless something affects them directly, and this did. Now, I think we'll see a scramble to oppose the bills to appear more hip.

The only problem I see is if the next revision contains deliberately dense and confusing language rendering people unable to rally against something they don't really understand.

I don't think this was ever going to cost any of the sponsors their job and come November, very few people would be basing their vote on their reps vote on this crap. Besides, they can always just stuff it in a drawer and cram it in some unrelated piece of legislation down the line.

This may be the James Beam talking, but I wouldn't get cynical just yet. Google & co. have just proven themselves to be a powerful lobbying force. Your average congressman from somewhere besides California doesn't really give two shits whether the MPAA or the internetz win. So they've got to calculate which side gives them more street cred. Obviously, teh internetz won this round, and you'd have to be a prize moron to not side with the IT sector in the current US economic climate. It appears that the GOP had the insight to go this route before Dems took the initiative. No doubt they'll try to turn it into a partisan issue for the upcoming election. Which means it may very well remain in the public eye come november. While support of SOPA/PIPA won't cost any jobs, opposition to it may provide an electoral boost.

I've once again depressed myself by describing the latrine that is D.C., but I have the cautious hope that the internet has developed to the point where it's capable of defending itself. If I'm right, then we don't have to worry about thte fight b/w old guard & new guard, so much as the mob mentality that comes with the internet's anonymous paradigm of representation.

[Acid King]

This may be the James Beam talking, but I wouldn't get cynical just yet. Google & co. have just proven themselves to be a powerful lobbying force. Your average congressman from somewhere besides California doesn't really give two shits whether the MPAA or the internetz win. So they've got to calculate which side gives them more street cred. Obviously, teh internetz won this round, and you'd have to be a prize moron to not side with the IT sector in the current US economic climate. It appears that the GOP had the insight to go this route before Dems took the initiative. No doubt they'll try to turn it into a partisan issue for the upcoming election. Which means it may very well remain in the public eye come november. While support of SOPA/PIPA won't cost any jobs, opposition to it may provide an electoral boost.

I've once again depressed myself by describing the latrine that is D.C., but I have the cautious hope that the internet has developed to the point where it's capable of defending itself. If I'm right, then we don't have to worry about thte fight b/w old guard & new guard, so much as the mob mentality that comes with the internet's anonymous paradigm of representation.

We'll see how it shakes out but, and you can call me cynical, I don't think this will really do much to slow the feds down when it comes to stuff like this. Even without the powers in SOPA/PIPA, federal civil forfeiture law can be used to seize domains, shutter websites and potentially extract whatever money the site earned without having to actually file charges against anyone.

On a side note, newly minted MPAA president Chris Dodd has threatened Obama over his lack of support, which seems pretty fucking stupid considering Obama's warchest already has more cash than all the Republicans combined.

[Specineff]

What about the NDAA, guys? Not even the most red-blooded US Citizen is safe from detention without trial as an enemy combatant, in US soil. (That rumbling noise is the founding fathers rolling in their graves)

[Acid King]

What about the NDAA, guys? Not even the most red-blooded US Citizen is safe from detention without trial as an enemy combatant, in US soil. (That rumbling noise is the founding fathers rolling in their graves)

No one cares because it doesn't affect their ability to download pirated music.