SOPA/PIPA

I’m sure many of you  have noticed today that some major websites have gone dark or have changed to protest the proposed SOPA and PIPA bills before Congress.

While the intent of these bills is to stop “foreign” copyright infringement, the way they are written, all internet website owners and bloggers could be subject to both fines and jail time for what is written by either them or their contributors. This includes  forums and bulletin boards.

Should these bills pass, it would be more than likely that I would have to close this website. I would be so limited in what I could write for fear of being sued or having federal agents outside my door with an arrest warrant.

I wouldn’t be able to do honest gear reviews for fear the owners of the product I was reviewing would say I infringed on their copyright by either calling it by name or taking pictures of it. I wouldn’t be able to comment on any company for the same fear. I would be forced to shut the Reader’s Forum.

I urge all American citizens who  like this website to go to the link below, sign the petition and let your elected representatives in Washington know you are against these bills. Thank you.

Google: End Piracy, Not Liberty.

On some websites, people are urged to contact their elected officials directly. However, it seems the Senate doesn’t want to be bothered and has blocked the contact pages from the Senate website. Isn’t it nice to know your elected officials really don’t care what you think, only the thoughts of their corporate contributors.

Comments

[Paul]

I found the U.S. Senate contact page with a quick Google search.

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Web forms for both my senators are up and running.

There is a working Contact link at the bottom of the Senate website. It sure isn't an obvious link, but I was able to get to the same page through direct links.

[Frank@OBOW]

It seems some are up and some are down. For some I get an "error" message and others they claim to be doing routine maintenance. Coincidence? Or perhaps they're being swarmed by people complaining about these bills.

[Paula Bag Lass]

I've just seen on the BBC World News, they have been swarmed by emails and telephone calls and Senators are starting to 'rethink' how they will vote.

Is it only web site owners at risk if the bills went through or is it everyone who contributes with opinions?

[Frank@OBOW]

Everyone who writes anything on the web would be subject to these laws. The website owners are more at risk but it could extend to the individual contributor.

It is nothing more than complete censorship of the web. Only those who control the big media corporations would decide what is read or seen on the internet.

[xtal]

Here's a succinct opinion piece from The Guardian on the topic:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/jan/18/sopa-pipa-consumption-only-internet