The Internet Woke Up
Beautiful post by Mike Masnick at Techdirt. He explains that activism by ordinary people on the Internet is what shelved SOPA, but that we still have more work to do:
Make no mistake: when the Senate introduced PIPA in May, it was widely assumed that this bill, and any companion bill would sail through Congress easily. Sure, some "tech-friendly" officials may express some concerns, but, as one lobbyist told me directly, "no one takes you people seriously anyway." It was this kind of hubris that we saw throughout the year with these bills. We were told repeatedly to shut up and take it, because the bills were going to pass, Obama would sign them, and piracy would magically disappear.Instead, a funny thing happened on the way to the death of the internet: the internet woke up. While folks online may be political, it's not often that they truly get activated over internet-related issues. But in an era of bottom-up movements facilitated online, the timing was absolutely right for the massive groundswell of support from all corners of the internet to suddenly speak out in near unison to say of these bills: DO NOT WANT.
Still more to do:
At this point, it's impossible to deny that we, as a group, have had an impact. Contrary to the claims of some of the bill's supporters, we showed that this isn't just a "Google" issue. This is an internet issue. And we care about the internet and we care about innovation, and we're not going to take it lightly when elected officials, who admit they don't understand the technology, come along to say they're going to mess with it, just because their biggest campaign donors don't want to adapt to these wonderful new innovations.
But, not everyone in Congress has an understanding of what's happening online. Even with Reps. and Senators backing away from the bills, and asking leadership to slow things down... and even with Rep. Smith and Senator Leahy trying to "delay" the DNS implementation in order to get the bills passed... some in Congress still think that the outcry is minor or limited or that it's all Google.
That's why Harry Reid intends to move forward with the bill, pretending that the complaints only come from Google and Facebook... and that they're minor and easily fixed with a couple of amendments. I believe he's misjudged the internet, just as many others in Congress have misjudged the internet over the last few months. The people speaking out are not just "Google and Facebook," and they're not just speaking out for the hell of it. They're seriously pissed off at Congress for even thinking of going down this path in the first place, and simply killing the bills is unlikely to get the people online back on their side.
But there's a bigger point in the "more to do" section of this post. This isn't about one bill. This isn't about one issue. This is about an entire process. This is about the public -- not the big corporations -- finally saying "enough is enough" and making Congress recognize that crony capitalism, where subsidies and protectionism are doled out willy nilly to favorite campaign contributors, is not acceptable to the people they're supposed to represent.
This is about recognizing that the internet and the massive amount new innovation and services -- and the worldwide ability to communicate with others -- is a game changing innovation for everyone. And we're going to work damn hard to make sure that it remains open and free.
SOPA/PIPA supporters' bullshit shoveled here.
Take action against SOPA and PIPA here, at AmericanCensorship.org. (Scroll down to email Congress, etc.)
What we need to do is roll back copyright protection to its original terms. If Disney and Hollywood want to mess with me, I certainly want to return the favor. I won't be at the movie theater, but I will be in the voting booth.
Sony garnered a lot of ill will with their rootkit fiasco and I go out of my way to not do business with them anymore. A company that treats its customers that way is not to be rewarded.
For the record, I don't have any Intellectual Property I haven't obtained legally. I wouldn't rob an artist with a gun, why would I steal their livelihood?
MarkD at January 17, 2012 5:22 AM
Hey, this is encouraging. It's nice to know that internet activism can make a difference. Honestly, I just told a friend that I considered the nation doomed. This actually encourages me. We can make a difference. It's not too late.
Thanks for sharing this, darlin'! From me (and Stewie Griffin) to you!
Patrick at January 17, 2012 8:20 AM
Wikipedia Blackout: Websites Wikipedia, Reddit, Others Go Dark Wednesday to Protest SOPA, PIPA
Wikipedia, Reddit and Boing Boing are shutting down on Jan. 18, 2012 to protest the bills.
Jim P. at January 17, 2012 9:11 AM
I'm shutting down my website tomorrow too. (This will affect all three people who follow and aren't my family, lol.) Still, every little bit helps. (And yes, I've written my senators.)
I can't even imagine the havoc this thing will cause if it passes.
Elle at January 17, 2012 9:49 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/01/the-internet-wo.html#comment-2921718">comment from ElleDespite wanting to go dark along with those who are doing so to rise up against SOPA and PIPA, out of respect for my boyfriend, I am not. (He's got Elmore in town, plus he just crawled through fire for a few days to install my comment challenge questions plus upgrade my software -- Movable Type is not the easiest or most fun software to deal with!)
Amy Alkon
at January 17, 2012 10:32 AM
I've written to my senator and representative on both of them already.
I'm not confident on either voting the right way.
Jim P. at January 17, 2012 7:38 PM
Leave a comment