SOPA/"Protect IP" Act

[Jamesman42]

I called a representative LIKE A BOSK

Tried to call 2 others but one's voicemail was full and the other line was busy.

[Scheavo]

I agree with your assertions that a principled approach would be far more beneficial and that these mega-sites have clear business reasons to oppose SOPA/PIPA.

I still think what's happened is pretty good, though.

In some manner of speaking, I like what happened today too. It's a great showing of democracy, and a very interesting showing of the power of internet sites. It's just a shame that it feels like the majority of complaints made against SOPA are so lousy, and that a large amount of the fear involved is extremely conservative and self-interested (and I'm not talking about just the companies, but a lot of people who are against it). There's a long road between America and China, and there's two checks on congressional power that people are completely forgetting. Even if the worst of the fears about this law became law, I sorta highly doubt it would last long. I use today as proof, where sites simply changing themselves was enough to create a huge political event.

[kirksnosehair]

1. Google DOES make a shit-load of money from ads on sites like The Pirate Bay and RapidShare, etc.  That is a fact.

Huh? Just checking it now, TPB runs ads through Z5X, not Adsense, and Rapidshare doesn't even have ads.

OK, edited the original post and removed the specific names of sites.  The fact stands.  Google DOES earn money on ads placed on *some* websites that serve up pirated content.

[Aramatheis]

Even if the worst of the fears about this law became law, I sorta highly doubt it would last long.

so what, they're just going to go through all this trouble of passing this law, and then just forget about it?

[Progmetty]

Today was nuts, right?

Google launched a petition.  Wikipedia voted to shut itself off.  Senators' websites went down just from the sheer surge of voters trying to write them.   NYC and SF geeks had protests that packed city blocks.

You made history today: nothing like this has ever happened before.  Tech companies and users teamed up.  Tens of millions of people who make the internet what it is joined together to defend their freedoms.  The free network defended itself.  Whatever you call it, the bottom line is clear: from today forward, it will be much harder to mess up the internet.

The really crazy part?  We might even win.

Approaching Monday's crucial Senate vote there are now 35 Senators publicly opposing PIPA.  Last week there were 5.   And it just takes just 41 solid "no" votes to permanently stall PIPA (and SOPA) in the Senate.  What seemed like miles away a few weeks ago is now within reach.

But don't trust predictions.  The forces behind SOPA & PIPA (mostly movie companies) can make small changes to these bills until they know they have the votes to pass.  Members of Congress know SOPA & PIPA are unpopular, but they don't understand why--so they're easily duped by superficial changes.  The Senate returns next week, and the next few days are critical.  Here are two things to think about:

1. Plan on calling your Senator every day next week.  Pick up the phone each morning and call your Senators' offices, until they vote "no" on cloture.  If your site participated today, consider running a "Call the Senate" link all next week. 

2. Tomorrow, drop in at your Senators' district offices.  We don't have a cool map widget to show you the offices nearest you (we're too exhausted! any takers?).  So do it the old fashioned way: use Google, or the phonebook to find the address, and just walk in, say you oppose PIPA, and urge the Senator to vote "no" on cloture.  These drop-in visits make our spectacular online protests more tangible and credible. 

That's it for now. Be proud and stay on it!

[Dark Castle]

Even if the worst of the fears about this law became law, I sorta highly doubt it would last long.

so what, they're just going to go through all this trouble of passing this law, and then just forget about it?

No, the Supreme Court would slam it for the unConstitutional piece of crap that it is.  Checks and Balances.

[Jaffa]

Even if the worst of the fears about this law became law, I sorta highly doubt it would last long.

so what, they're just going to go through all this trouble of passing this law, and then just forget about it?

No, the Supreme Court would slam it for the unConstitutional piece of crap that it is.  Checks and Balances.

Or this exact same public outcry would happen, except infinitely more intense, at the first signs of censorship. 

[Dark Castle]

Even if the worst of the fears about this law became law, I sorta highly doubt it would last long.

so what, they're just going to go through all this trouble of passing this law, and then just forget about it?

No, the Supreme Court would slam it for the unConstitutional piece of crap that it is.  Checks and Balances.

Or this exact same public outcry would happen, except infinitely more intense, at the first signs of censorship.

Or both 

[Scheavo]

Even if the worst of the fears about this law became law, I sorta highly doubt it would last long.

so what, they're just going to go through all this trouble of passing this law, and then just forget about it?

No, the Supreme Court would slam it for the unConstitutional piece of crap that it is.  Checks and Balances.

Or this exact same public outcry would happen, except infinitely more intense, at the first signs of censorship.

Or both 

Exactly. You see, the sorta good thing about slimy crappy politicians who are only interested in their career as a politician, means they can be sensitive to huge public pressure. A lot of sponsors of the bill have already pulled their support.

[Implode]

So MegaUpload is gone.

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/technology/indictment-charges-megaupload-site-with-piracy.html?_r=1

[Sigz]

What are they being charged with? It's all user uploaded and they seem to comply with DMCA filings.

[Implode]

Not entirely sure, but apparently it's the result of a two year investigation.

[AcidLameLTE]

https://www.theverge.com/2012/1/19/2719223/megaupload-criminal-copyright-justice-department-conspiracy

The United States Justice Department filed charges against MegaUpload today, calling the file-sharing service an "international organized criminal enterprise allegedly responsible for massive worldwide online piracy." Founder Kim Dotcom and three MegaUpload executives were arrested today in Auckland, New Zealand at the request of the US government under provisional arrest warrants, and the DOJ describes three other execs as "at large."

The complaint alleges that MegaUpload, founder Kim Dotcom, and his team are responsible for $175 million in "criminal proceeds" and "more than half a billion dollars in harm to copyright owners." Specifically, Kim Dotcom and six of his executives are charged with running "the Mega conspiracy websites" under a business model "expressly designed to promote uploading of the most popular copyrighted works." The DOJ also says MegaUpload also developed its uploader rewards program as a means of laundering money.

The complaint charges Dotcom, his executives, the MegaUpload Limited company and a second company called Vestor Limited which Dotcom used to shield his personal assets. Specifically, the charges are:

engaging in a racketeering conspiracy
conspiring to commit copyright infringement
conspiring to commit money laundering
two substantive counts of criminal copyright infringement
The DOJ has also issued more than 20 search warrants in the US and eight other countries, seized more than $50m in assets in the US, Netherlands, and Canada, and seized more than 18 domain names associated with MegaUpload. The investigation was led by the FBI with broad international assistance from New Zealand, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, and the Philippines.

The charges and the arrests come just a few weeks after MegaUpload itself filed suit against Universal Music Group for having a controversial promotional video featuring Kanye West, will.i.am, and other celebrities pulled from YouTube — it appears that battle was just a minor skirmish before a much broader international war. The enforcement effort also comes just one day after the internet community launched massive protests against the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act in the United States, a law which would grant the government the ability to block sites like MegaUpload from the US internet. While SOPA has been tabled for the moment, the MegaUpload case should prove to be a flashpoint for the issue in the months to come: both an example of how large the claimed piracy problem has become and how the US can already enforce its laws with broad international support. Get ready for a ride.

Update: Rick Shera, a New Zealand-based attorney, reports on Twitter that Kim Dotcom's mansion is blockaded by police at all entrances. No escaping this one, it seems.

[chknptpie]

I read that in response hackers shutdown DOJ website?

[antigoon]

[snapple]

Sounds like more than just SOPA related shit.

[ClairvoyantCat]

I read that in response hackers shutdown DOJ website?

As badass as it is, I feel that pulling shit like that will ultimately be detrimental to the cause of preventing things like this from happening in the future. 

[antigoon]

Yup.

[JayOctavarium]

shit's gettin' real yo

[orcus116]

This is hilarious.

[Implode]

Sounds like more than just SOPA related shit.

It's not SOPA related at all as far as I can tell.

[JayOctavarium]

https://gizmodo.com/5877679/anonymous-kills-department-of-justice-site-in-megaupload-revenge-strike

Update: Anonymous says they've also knocked off the RIAA's site—looks down for us at the moment as well.

Update 2: Universal Music Group has also fallen off an e-cliff.

Update 3: Goodbye for now, MPAA.org.

Update 4: Affected sites are bouncing in and out of life, and are at the very least super slow to load. Anon agents are currently trying to coordinate their DDoS attacks in the same direction via IRC.

Update 5: The US Copyright Office joins the list.

[Implode]

Oh dear. I hope this doesn't get too out of control.

[antigoon]

Hope DTF isn't next

[Jaffa]

I read that in response hackers shutdown DOJ website?

As badass as it is, I feel that pulling shit like that will ultimately be detrimental to the cause of preventing things like this from happening in the future.

Seriously.  They think they're flexing their muscles and showing off how cool they are, but all they're really doing is providing more and more reasons to police the internet.  It's like responding to increased airport security by hijacking a plane: ha ha, very funny, but you just made the problem that much worse. 

[dethklok09]

[JayOctavarium]

 

Update 9: Major record label BMI is down for the count.

Update 10: La résistance est international—French copyright authority HADOPI bites the dust under Anon pressure.

[AcidLameLTE]

I don't know why but the fact that you never get to see him sit down on the chair has always really bothered me.

[dethklok09]

I don't know why but the fact that you never get to see him sit down on the chair has always really bothered me.

great now it's actually starting to bother me a bit lol

[Scheavo]

Sounds like more than just SOPA related shit.

It's not SOPA related at all as far as I can tell.

Course it's not SOPA related... SOPA isn't even a law yet.

[Super Dude]

Sounds like more than just SOPA related shit.

It's not SOPA related at all as far as I can tell.

Course it's not SOPA related... SOPA isn't even a law yet.

Yet? I thought it got totally blocked already?

And yeah, a quick look at Extra Credits who've been following everything says that Megaupload is gone via DMCA. Damn shame though, I'm gonna miss Megavideo (assuming they're included in this packaged deal).

[Scheavo]

Sounds like more than just SOPA related shit.

It's not SOPA related at all as far as I can tell.

Course it's not SOPA related... SOPA isn't even a law yet.

Yet? I thought it got totally blocked already?

Bad choice of words, just meant it's not law.

I mean, I do have some issues with this takedown myself. They'll still have a chance to prove their case in court, but I'm not sure arresting them before hand, and shutting down the site, without due process, is in order. That's really my main beef with SOPA too, but it's almost more systemic in our current judicial system. I remember Dominique-Strauss Kahn, when that scandal broke, got arrested because charges were brought up against him, but then everything dissolved into nothing. I think the French were right to complain about our current order of things.

[Aramatheis]

Hope DTF isn't next

same bro
we're a high-profile target.


this site contains music experts from all over the world.

[lordxizor]

If Megaupload was taken down by existing laws they must have pretty good evidence that they were in violation of existing laws. Meaning they were asked to take something down by a person who could prove they have a copyright on the material and they didn't do it in a timely manner (whatever is allowed by law). Sucks, but when you run a site that is probably 50% or more used for uploading copyrighted material, it's really only a matter of time before this happens.

[Chino]

Hope DTF isn't next

You shut your mouth!