# SOPA PIPA PITA



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx

In regards to Shads Dispatch linked above, although its sounds that Congress has pulled back from the brink, the thought of something this blunt being implemented is truely frightening. Think of anyone who has posted a photo from a manufacturers website, not for any personal gain but just for fair use discussion purposes, that very posting of a picture like that falls under the realm of this legislation and can result in the actions Shad describes. 

Now think of ANY website, albeit Hobby shop, Sports site, News site, Clothing site, ANY site that uses photos or links to ANY site where manufactures copyrighted images or content are stored could be shut down , not necessarily due to any real threat of intellectual theft, but by shear malice or calculated actions designed to eliiminate a possible competitor or because of personality disputes between people, theres nothing really distinguishing HOW the accusation of theft is assessed before the plug is pulled. While intellectual theft is a real problem, this is absolutely insane. Its using an H-bomb to kill a mosquito.


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## alecescolme (Dec 20, 2010)

I saw this on Wikipedia today. At first I thought it would be nothing to hide, nothing to fear, right? 
But, as Vic says it means that legitimate sites like this could be put at risk by the slightest copyright infringement. 
I do hope that the legal sites like this remain open and accessible to everyone as this is what the internet is for- connecting people across the globe. 

Alec


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

I whole heartedly agree! When I first heard of it, I could not even believe it was being considered. I had to check and make sure I hadn't moved to China. I signed the electronic petition through Google and encourage all of you to do the same and keep this great country truly free!


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

[No message]


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

I love the video - best I have seen in a long time. 

I can't believe that rational people, and I hope our elected representatives are rational, would even remotely consider such a ridiculous proposal. 

Just a question about the proposed legislation - would that not only apply to servers located in the US? 
I'm also not sure how they would shut down a specific domain. There are 13 DNS root servers, only ten of these servers reside in the United States, the others are in Japan, London, UK and in Stockholm, Sweden. Wouldn't the domain have to be blocked in all of them?


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

From what's out there on the net, it seems the current version of these two bills are dead and Congress will either rewrite some of the language or rewrite the bills completely. According to a *ZD Net article* dated two days ago, Eric Cantor assured Darrell Issa that he (Cantor - House Majority Leader) would see that SOPA would never even get to the House floor for a vote. At that time, Harry Reid (Senate Majority Leader) was still pursuing PIPA in the Senate. Then a White House blog over the weekend said Obama wouldn't sign any "legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet." Since then, Reid has also changed his tune.


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## ShadsTrains (Dec 27, 2007)

Actually, they are not dead.. They are definitely losing support, but PIPA is still scheduled for a vote on the 24th, and the Rep from Texas that drafted SOPA stated just today that he will continue. While both bills have had their most controversial parts trimmed back, they're still bad legislation, which is why there is still such an uprising. Thankfully both Senators from Utah have stated that they oppose the bill, as well as my Rep in the house.

To be honest, I really debated for several days on whether to post this at all. I spent a lot of time thinking about it, and what I would say if I did. As I read back, I am 100% happy still with the post. It sums up my feelings on the subject beautifully. I work for a company that loses an estimated 2 billion per year to piracy. I am affected on both sides of this issue, but this legislation is crap.. Drafted by the entertainment lobby and rushed through.. Most legislators don't even know what the law will do, they are just getting part of the story and voting blindly.. My Rep, Jason Chaffets said weeks ago, "hey we need to get some experts in here to explain what this all means," and he was ignored.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

What blows my mind is that lawmakers, especially US lawmakers, would even remotely consider such a piece of legislation considering that the US type of government is all about checks and balances whereas this proposed legislation seems to be accuser, prosecution, judge, jury and executioner all rolled into one. 
Oh, sorry, there is no judge or jury - goes straight from accusation to execution.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By krs on 18 Jan 2012 07:52 PM 
What blows my mind is that lawmakers, especially US lawmakers, would even remotely consider such a piece of legislation considering that the US type of government is all about checks and balances whereas this proposed legislation seems to be accuser, prosecution, judge, jury and executioner all rolled into one. 
Oh, sorry, there is no judge or jury - goes straight from accusation to execution. 



Oh you'd be surprised what can get passed as legitimate when you start throwing alot of this around DC:










The Hollywood authors of these Bills have piles of this stuff and aren't afraid to use it, I was absolutely shocked listening to the backers of these bills and it was very apparent they didnt have a clue as to what was actually in them and how, despite claiming they were targeted at "offshore" sites, how easily if would come back around to bite US based sites. These folks have NO IDEA how the web works.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

The WEB is Global....legislation is not. Not an easy solution to this type of problem.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By wchasr on 19 Jan 2012 08:37 AM 
The WEB is Global....legislation is not. Not an easy solution to this type of problem. 
Does anyone have an idea how this control was supposed to work in practice?

Say the material was hosted on a server in a country outside the US that didn't buy into those restrictions - even if one blocks the DNS entry on the 10 US based DNS root servers there are a few others outside the US and besides, for an existing site a DNS root server isn't necessary to identify the IP address.
Seems to me the only way is for every US ISP to block access to that site but that still makes it accessible to every one outside the US.

Knut


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

If Hollywood wants to help curb Piracy, they should get off their HIGH HORSE and MIND THIER OWN HOUSE FIRST. Ever wonder HOW a film that hasnt been released ends up on a street corner in Shanghai before its been released at your local theater? Easy, the studios use digital technology fast and free and in the time leading up to a release are sending films on DVD to marketers, ad agencies, etc. who give them to family and freinds, who burn copies, DVDs get set to movie critics, members of award shows like the Oscars, who give them to family and freinds, who burn copies, and in HIGH HYPOCRTICAL form, the very same crying Studio Execs take copies home, give them to family and freinds, who burn copies. Their can be literally HUNDREDS of copies flying around prior to a major movies release. These copies get shared with others or sold off directly to pirates in China or Mexico or Africa. Also a great deal of this activity takes place INSIDE the studios themselves, or the "trusted" companies they are sending the DVDs to, employees and vendors making a quick buck selling copies of films that end up overseas gracing a wire basket at 10 films for only 10 Renminbi. So they cry about the recievers of piracy but DO NOTHING to stop the SOURCE of it, which is happening right under their very noses. Sheesh!


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## ShadsTrains (Dec 27, 2007)

Posted By krs on 19 Jan 2012 09:45 AM 
Posted By wchasr on 19 Jan 2012 08:37 AM 
The WEB is Global....legislation is not. Not an easy solution to this type of problem. 
Does anyone have an idea how this control was supposed to work in practice?

Say the material was hosted on a server in a country outside the US that didn't buy into those restrictions - even if one blocks the DNS entry on the 10 US based DNS root servers there are a few others outside the US and besides, for an existing site a DNS root server isn't necessary to identify the IP address.
Seems to me the only way is for every US ISP to block access to that site but that still makes it accessible to every one outside the US.

Knut 


That, knut, is the problem.. The bill would not effectively curb most pirating because it is too easy to circumvent by using ip addresses and not dns names.. Sure it makes things more inconvenient and keeps honest people honest, but does nothing to actually address the real problem. Further restrictions by ip address are much more problematic, and really start to turn things into a red state.. Scary.. 

In all honestly, I think that we are witnessing a very painful change to the way media is distributed.. The big record companies and movie studios are scared. Take a look at what Louis C.K. did. He filmed a stand up comedy show and sold it online for an affordable $5.. He made over a million in the first 10 days.. I believe it was over 2 million at last count. I've heard that there is apparently very little piracy of his special out there as well. He doesn't have to pay a dime of that to a studio, distribution company, or anyone else.. All the cash is his.. There are several very high profile musicians that are doing the same. I suspect that will become the status quo. Tell me what's better, selling 10,000 copies at $40 with rampant piracy and giving more than 50% to a studio or distributor, or several hundred thousand at $5 with little to no piracy where you keep all the money? Sounds like a no brainer to me.. Nothing discourages piracy like a low price point. Of course, it's not quite that simple.. But the general idea is fascinating..


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By ShadsTrains on 19 Jan 2012 04:29 PM 
Tell me what's better, selling 10,000 copies at $40 with rampant piracy and giving more than 50% to a studio or distributor, or several hundred thousand at $5 with little to no piracy where you keep all the money? Sounds like a no brainer to me.. Nothing discourages piracy like a low price point. Of course, it's not quite that simple.


Shad - Agree with you completely.

But why is it not that simple?
Well, maybe because the entertainment industry is totally out of tune with reality and the market place.

When the iTunes store was introduced in 2003, the prediction was that the iTunes store would sell a million songs in six months - instead the store sold a million songs in six days.

Knut


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Contacted my elected representative in Congress today to voice my disapproval of this bill.

DC is totally out of control. Hit the reset button first week of Nov.


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