By now I am sure you have heard all the ranting about SOPA . It is apparently causing a stir in the online world for good reasons. Do any of you remember Napster? This was all those poor music artist crying about their music being stolen. Forget the fact that back when cassettes were the new thing all of us kids were running around recording songs off the radio.
It was the equivalent of what people were doing on Napster. But big brother wasn’t gonna have it. I lost a lot of respect for a lot of musicians because of their greedy nature. Anyhow lets fast forward a bit shall we.
Sopa – Will It Stop Crime?
Here is the thing about it.. Shutting Napster down didn’t actually stop the crime. All it did was get would be offenders to find another way to get what they want. Let’s take “all these software programs” you know the ones that cost $399 to $600 something or another. Seriously, I haven’t seen even 1 program online that hasn’t been hacked/cracked or whatever you call it.
I am not saying it’s right, because stealing is stealing and that is just wrong. But what I am saying is that if SOPA actually passes it doesn’t hurt the criminals. It hurts the honest hard working person. You know people like you and me.
Also it’s ridiculous to hold businesses accountable for actions that are beyond their control. Back in the day Napster was just a small file sharing service. One that took the idea of what the internet could be and made it a reality.
It was that reality that took a good idea and let greed seep into it’s pores… So here we are again. A new generation of people, new legislation. I think from the moment the internet was created “they” (the powers that be) started trying to figure out how to monitor and control it.
I personally believe that if they didn’t want us using the shit, they shouldn’t have given us the tools to do so. People are so worried about what is being stolen blah blah blah.. I have found on several occassions where people steal my shit. They use my emails rss feeds on their blogs and steal my content.
There should be a disclaimer that reads:
If you put your shit online people may steal it. Don’t cry, Don’t bitch it happens. It fact it happens every single day. Some people call it content curation regardless of what it is called it is what it is.
You will never be able to actually stop people from stealing shit because well, it’s just so easy to copy digital information. If you don’t want something stolen keep it under lock and key.. People use graphics and pictures to tell stories.. If you don’t want your pictures and graphics used then don’t put them online.
All the crying that people do about this stuff causes entities like the government to create new laws and enforce them so the only people that get hurt in the whole ordeal are honest hard working folks.
The more I read about SOPA the more it sounds like a cheesy ass way to try and get back at people. Some would call it revenge. If they can’t get the real criminals , well just screw everyone over than.
Anyway all this Sopa shit just pisses me off. I see it as nothing more than having even more of my rights being taken away because of a few crabby, ignorant a-holes sitting in some nice cozy office. –> END OF RANT!
What’s Buzzing Around The Net About Sopa!
Stop SOPA, Stop Censorship – Big Journalism
bigjournalism.com1/18/12
SOPA = Stop Online Piracy Act sounds benign, as almost all legislation does. The names of most bills are completely antithetical to what the bill would actually do. SOPA is no exception. You read the name. “Piracy is bad,” …
mashable.com1/17/12
One writer discusses why we need to understand and oppose SOPA — immediately.
Wikipedia Goes Black in Protest of SOPA
mashable.com1/18/12
As announced, Wikipedia’s main page is “blackened” today in protest of the controversial Stop online privacy act (SOPA).
Microsoft Opposes SOPA “As Currently Drafted”
thenextweb.com1/18/12
Microsoft is the latest company to state its opposition to SOPA.
Wrap Up – All I am saying is take a moment and really think about what is going on. This is something that the American government is trying to pull. Ya, this shit is going on in my back yard.
Are you concerned with this SOPA situation? Are you taking a stand against it? I would really love to hear your opinions on this matter..
Don’t Just Stand THERE! 🙂 Take Action HERE
I have to agree with you Larry! SOPA is like a like. It’s only good to keep honest people out! Like you said, the thieves will find a new way, if they have not already found it, to get what they want. It’s not that hard. I love when the new US $20 dollar bill came out – they said it was so good that it will be virtually impossible to duplicate – then about 2 weeks later, they started finding counterfits.
I got a kick out of that! Heck – why punish everyone? The internet is what it is and I just saw on the news that Wikipedia who get 25 million hits per day did a blackout saying – Imagine if this is all you saw when you came here. Heck, who’s going to do the censorship? The white hat criminals? LOL.
I believe people need to be aware of this, what it means and how they will be affected…. kinda like that health care bill that got shoved down everyone’s throats – hmmm, people are still finding out what devastating ramifications that thing will have once it is implemented and who is going to benefit from it and who is not. Again – the white glove criminals are punishing us all b/c they can’t beat the other criminals…. I don’t want to be in between!
I say, lock em both up and let the normal human beings live life normally. Oh, wait, then we wouldn’t have a government! LOL. Re-start time!
lols, Thanks for sharing your opinion Dennis and also thanks for commenting.
Got get’em Bro cause sometimes you got to lop-sal a mother ef’er. It’s a way to make the internet companies do business like the rest of America, bribe the politicians. Just like dude says in the video.
You should be angry because big business and their politician monkey-boys are pissing all over this great country.
O snap I better watch what I because that other bill that got passed. Border patrol better watch out cause I might be jumping the fence into Mexico.
America Home of the brave and formerly free
Thanks Dave…
I honestly believe SOPA is just a smoke screen to get PIPA passed. Very similar bills and are equally dangerous. Make sure to let your law makers know that you are against both bills. It will do little good to have SOPA fail and PIPA pass.
Hi mika I wouldn’t be surprised if you were right. Thanks for sharing..
Great post as at currently this an hot topic as evryone is worring about SOPA should be passed or not but taking overall views every one is against of it as it clearly seen that it will directly going to heart honest folks only and rest are going to find new way.
Anyway let see what happen just wait and watch.
Thanks a lot for this.
Thanks for the comment 🙂
I like your proposed disclaimer ! Great article man.
And you are right, shutting certain sites down, like Napster, doesn’t stop piracy. I see a real shift that’s happening and I hope it’s a positive one.
Hi Brandon I thought the disclaimer was appropriate considering the circumstances. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
I was glad to hear that, following all these websites shut-downs, support for these bills if decreasing. but lets face the facts, if the people who control the money want these bills passed, sooner or later they will be passed and there’s nothing we can do about it. You can write to your congressman or senator and it wont change a thing because these people get elected using campaign contributions made by companies trying to get these bills passed. If these elected officials want to get re-elected or run for better positions they better do what their campaign contributors say. Money rules the world. Sad but true.
Ya I am glad that the internet community took a stand 🙂
Increasingly the western world relies on IP to make a living. Since we produce less “real world” goods and more “digital world” goods we open ourselves to piracy. If we are to move to an information based economy there needs to be a limit to the infringement of IP.
Hi Julia, I agree there needs to be some measures put in place to protect peoples rights. Just not to the extend of what sopa proposes..
SOPA and PIP are quite ridiculous and I’m amazed that they even got considered by congress to begin with. It is worrying how much pull the media companies seem to have over the government. We the netizens have to stay on our toes and make our voices heard everytime something like this tries to get sneaked in. There is no other way.
-Jean
I can say Amen to that Jean,
We do need to stick together on this matter, at least for the time being we have been heard surprised 😮
Thanks for sharing bro!
Yes but people are using internet from last decades and they are free to write what they want in any platform. So I think SOPA Will not work .
Oh SOPA can work and could be enforced. The technology is already there.. It just isn’t ethical do actually enforce it.. I think it would cause a mini revolution online…
Thanks for stopping by and sharing..
Hi, Larry! Great article 🙂 The intention to prevent online stealing is good but I agree that websites should not be held liable for things they cannot control. The Internet has provided the whole world with so many opportunities because people have the freedom to do almost anything. But along with the freedom, should also come responsibility. But SOPA is way too harsh. It destroys everyone on its way; even the small, innocent businesses who are still struggling and learning the ropes.
Exactly! You are on the money here Sheena, SOPA actually hurts everyone. Not just the criminals..
I hope SOPA doesn’t get through. I make a living online and this legislation will wipe me out. I think they are just trying to raise the costs of copyright compliance, in which only the big players can afford.
Indeed, the government is going at huge extremes. It’s understandable they want to end piracy, but the irrational extremes they’re jumping to have far too much negatively effects.