Internet under threat (again)

FluffyMcDeath

FluffyMcDeath

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No, it's not Anonymous - it's those far more dangerous clowns in Congress.
It's on Google's front page at the moment and they are linking to the Electronic Freedom Foundation looking to block passage of PROTECT IP.

It allows for the blocking of sites that have or link to "infringing" content, ANY infringing content - and what counts and who has it? Well, for one, I know a lot of independent news sites could suffer as many excerpt or copy full news articles from other sources - for one.

EFF worries that it could lead to the entire DNS system falling apart as alternative directory systems spring up to serve those who need to get around the DNS bans.
 
Ars, as usual, has been covering this pretty closely as well. Here's their latest:
At Web censorship hearing, Congress guns for "pro-pirate" Google

The House Judiciary Committee today held an important hearing on the Stop Online Piracy Act with a hugely stacked deck of witnesses—Google's lawyer was the only one of the six to object to the bill in a meaningful way. And it wasn't hard to see why. This wasn't a hearing designed to elicit complex thoughts about complex issues of free speech, censorship, and online piracy; despite the objections of the ACLU, dozens of foreign civil rights groups, tech giants like Google and eBay, the Consumer Electronics Association, China scholar Rebecca MacKinnon, hundreds of law professors and lawyers, the hearing was designed to shove the legislation forward and to brand companies who object as siding with "the pirates."
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Yup, we're fucked.

EDIT: Btw, SOPA in Greek means: "shut up". And you can't say that politely. Coincidence?
 
FluffyMcDeath said:
EFF worries that it could lead to the entire DNS system falling apart as alternative directory systems spring up to serve those who need to get around the DNS bans.
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There are pros and cons to this. Interestingly, one of the contributors to the Free Net Project is Google. Perhaps it's time for them to contribute some more. Well, one can hope.
 
Glaucus said:
Google's plans to place their server farms on ships and float them in international waters is starting make some sense now...
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Maybe Google should just become an Icelandic company.
 
Glaucus said:
See, the EU has it's uses. ;)
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Aye, and I get a chuckle out of that sort of thing from time to time, but the people, and their welfare, always seem to be a secondary consideration. The EU is primarily focused on supporting their elite against everyone else's elite. They'll grind their populations down just as much as the Americans or Chinese will if it will give them leverage against a competing block.
 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...adband-reform/2012/01/09/gIQA7CaflP_blog.html

In his remarks, Genachowski said the program has been successful, but has also been plagued with problems of accountability and efficiency. Multiple service providers are often supplying Lifeline subsidies to the same households, he said, because there is no centralized system. To address the issue, Genachowski said, the draft proposal creates a national database of Lifeline users to prevent duplicative billing. It also sets a budget for Lifeline aimed at connecting eligible consumers while staying within budget, and requires that participating companies be subject to independent audits every two years.​
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Ah, nation db of net users and it starts with the lifeline folks. Boil the frog by one degree at a time, they will never noticed till it's too late.
 
What is it with these internet censorship acronyms. I've already mentioned that the Stop Online Piracy Act's acronym, SOPA, means "shut up" in Greek. Meanwhile, the Protect IP Act acronym, PIPA, is how Greeks casually refer to a "blow job". I guess now I know how it feels to be a girl, always expected to just shut up and blow! I just hope the next related acronym is not KOLO!!! :eek:
 
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