CFN – SO did you use the internet today? Millions of people boycotted the internet and major websites like Wikipedia shut it down in protest of SOPA.
From the Wikipedia page:
SOPA and PIPA represent two bills in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate respectively. SOPA is short for the “Stop Online Piracy Act,” and PIPA is an acronym for the “Protect IP Act.” (“IP” stands for “intellectual property.”) In short, these bills are efforts to stop copyright infringement committed by foreign web sites, but, in our opinion, they do so in a way that actually infringes free expression while harming the Internet. Detailed information about these bills can be found in the Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act articles on Wikipedia, which are available during the blackout. GovTrack lets you follow both bills through the legislative process: SOPA on this page, and PIPA on this one. The EFF has summarized why these bills are simply unacceptable in a world that values an open, secure, and free Internet.
We live in an odd world. Our freedoms are diminishing almost daily. The internet, something created by and for the military has become a staple of our lives. It’s a part of us whether via our computers or phones. It’s replaced so much of what we used to do from going to the movies, to listening to radio, or watching TV.
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We interact with it. We communicate with it; but with one flick of a switch it can be turned off or….altered.
And that’s what’s up with SOPA. That’s what’s wrong with legislation of this type. Who decides what should or shouldn’t be on the internet? Should the internet even be monetized. I think I, like many of you out there think internet service should be a right and free.
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Here in Canada we have some of the highest internet costs. It’s shameful. In the town I live in; a city of 50,000 people along a major strip of the Country and nearby two metropolitan centres we have only one true high speed choice which is Cogeco cable.
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The standard plan is over $50 unless you get a contract or discounted bundle; but if you go over the bandwidth provided you end up with an extra $50 charge. In our household we end up with $120 per month bill.
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That’s classism at its ugliest because if you can’t afford that you are left behind. Bell, the other alternative advertises a new FIBE service but calls to their office state it’s not available in our area. We can get some unlimited band width options, but speeds are drastically slower.
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It’s all about control of information. Who can have access and that’s what SOPA is about . It’s as though internet users are getting attacked from all sides and turning into an episode of The Alex Jones show.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muWgdn9eOHo
Why SOPA is bad – a great View
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KXMOaL0JXE&feature=related
While some are calling this an Old Hollywood fight vs New Media; IE an issue of information distribution I think there are some far more interesting under layers.
SOPA may be in its death throes but it’s supporters will be back. Control of the internet is too valuable for people to not try and control it and if you control the internet you control all of us.
You can post your comment below; at least for another day….
SOPA looks like it’s dead for now, but it will return in a different incarnation. There’s no way that the 1% ruling elite can allow the free and easy communication and exchange of ideas between us peons. Internet communication is as scary to them as literacy was to the Christian church just a hundred or so years ago.
Well I had a bit of hope for the death of sopa, It does look like it may die in this incarnation, but I doubt it will have any real effect either way any more.
As of about noon today the Feds in the USA closed down Megaupload.com and Megavideo.com a company based in Hong Kong, CEO Swizz Beatz in Sweden.. This is a site that has over 50 million hits per day, and claims to take up 4% of global traffic..
Anon responded by DDOSING whitehouse.gov riaa.org and some others :p
I have not verified the data from this, but if it’s true then maybe people of the internet have some clout.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jaJ90959jH0/TxiZqbRLKWI/AAAAAAAACVQ/b0GfARZPXK8/s625/SOPA%2BPIPA%2Bsupporters%252C%2Bthe%2Bday%2Bafter.jpg
We shall see what happens…
As for your comments on cogeco and the internet state in Cornwall, and Ontario area, I have been very much interested in starting a small locally based ISP and web hosting company that would cut the “big 3” out of the picture, provide local support and much better speeds and prices… I wonder how much local interest there would be for this idea..
Nate if you could offer cogeco speeds I think the public would be interested.