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SOPA is an anti-piracy bill working its way through Congress...

House Judiciary Committee Chair and Texas Republican Lamar Smith, along with 12 co-sponsors, introduced the Stop Online Piracy Act on October 26th of last year. Debate on H.R. 3261, as it's formally known, has consisted of one hearing on November 16th and a "mark-up period" on December 15th, which was designed to make the bill more agreeable to both parties. Its counterpart in the Senate is the Protect IP Act (S. 968). Also known by it's cuter-but-still-deadly name: PIPA. There will likely be a vote on PIPA next Wednesday; SOPA discussions had been placed on hold but will resume in February of this year.
...that would grant content creators extraordinary power over the internet...

Gizmodo
In short, The government will pretty much be able to control everything on the web. So let's say I post a link to a song (we have plenty of those) Someone an come and claim it copyrighted and The whole website will be blocked without any investigations into it.
So no more Youtube, Wikipedia, Fan websites (Avsim, Flightsim, this site, Sim-outhouse e.t.c) If M$ files copyright claims copyright hold. So in short, They are going to cause havoc on the only thing that is continually growing, increasing and helping people find jobs e.t.c to stop pirates who will find a way around it anyway . I mean, Where else could someone start with little more than an Idea, then turn it into a multi-bilion dollar company? Where else could someone post an news story thousands of miles away and recieve instant feedback? Have forums like these?
What's Your opinion on this. I wasn't sure this would go in the other sites page.
So this may be the end of the World wide web as we know it.
And P.S I have a habit of overthinking things.

Well I psted something simular not to long ago. <_<

I strongly believe in protecting intellectual property and copyrights, but the SOPA/PIPA acts are a bit extreme because of the 'spray and pray' effect from it.

DMCA take downs already exist, so I don't see why they need to change it. SOPA has the potential to be be very effective, but I do not trust the people enforcing the rule to be in any way smart about it. In a somewhat unrelated case, I remember hearing that Uri Geller made copyright claims for his appearance in videos recorded by others, and won. In fact, the copyright holder was the maker of the video, not the subject. If this was applied to SOPA/PIPA, entire websites could be closed down because of negligence to the law.

Websites such as Youtube would be okay though, as SOPA/PIPA will only take down (or 'investigate') websites that aren't actively monitoring their media. As you can see on Youtube, if your video is seen to contain copyright music, they will delete the audio track. Websites such as Flickr are in the firing line though because they aren't 'actively monitoring'. That said, they do have adequate reporting systems against copyright infringement and have a very good turn around time on any complaints. But they could be taken down, because their system isn't actively looking for copyright material.

As I say, instead of helping the people who are actually being affected, they're just nuking entire areas of the web. I doubt many of the people in congress even understand how to use a computer or what copyright/fair use/copyright limitations actually are. There are many exceptions, and an unfair system will not notice them.


I can't make more points because Wikipedia went offline just as I started to write this! Cheers, SOPA/PIPA!

OK, how would you all combat online piracy??

Matt

OK, how would you all combat online piracy??

Matt

It sucks to say it, but you really can't fix the problem... Not unless you shut down all the servers in the world, destroy every computer, gadget and wire. Totally blocking every internet service might do it, but you'd have to ask the mobs of angry people what they think.


How would I manage it? Easy. I would ask of one thing: Web hosts should do manual checks of their site for the content that is present in the most feasable way possible. It would be ideal to have an automated service for everything, but there is too much data out there to collate and manage. The DMCA take down system already exists, so copyright holders can file a complaint against a website for hosting their data. The web host should be noted of this claim, and have time to retaliate. If there is suitable evidence that the property does not belong to them, and does not fit into any exemption (fair use, derivative, etc) then persue the website. If the website is a 'sole site' (like a personal webpage) then take it down. If the website is a social site (facebook, Youtube, etc) then close down that user account and chase down the actual user.


It is one thing to do it fairly (talking to the web host, explaining the problem, and giving them the opportunity to take down the media). It is another thing entirely just to shut the website down and cut them off. Flickr no doubt hosts BILLIONS of images from MILLIONS of users. If one user posts one picture that does not belong to them, it is idiotic to shut down the entire website because of it.


Copyright holders can already sue, but unless they're losing profit, the case usually isn't very strong. That is why you DMCA take down the media from them.

The government will want sites to actively monitor (have automated services and the such) to check their content. This is not always feasable, but according to the government, is enough of a reason to shut the website down if they're unable to do so.



In short: Keep the current system.

OK, how would you all combat online piracy?

I'd tell the entertainment industry (the largest driving force behind these bills, for obvious reasons) to stuff it and either deal with it, or not put their copyrighted material out in the open where an eight-year-old can take it freely and illegally. As for more specialised and sophisticated pirating, I know that any laws or restrictions will have to be tailored specifically against specific methods as they come, further than that, though, I haven't any idea.

Its this what are you talking about?



Its that means that they will remove PORN from the internet?

Oh NOOOOOOO!!!


LMAO!!!!

I heard Obama said no to SOPA... So, you can scratch that off. Only the other one is still unclear... I think this is another case of a "democratic government" falling on corporate hands...

Sopa in Spanish means Soup ,
lets keep this out of the political stuff shall we? keep it cool  8-)

you know?

Alrot, this is politics. This will not affect the US only, it's going to cause harm all around the world. We have to fight this fascist move...

Also SOPA is Soup for portuguese too, lol! 

*grabs pitchfork and torch*

WHO'S WITH ME!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?

*grabs pitchfork and torch*

WHO'S WITH ME!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?

oh hell no way

.

[quote]Alrot, this is politics. This will not affect the US only, it's going to cause harm all around the world. We have to fight this fascist move...

Also SOPA is Soup for portuguese too, lol!

Eventhough USA its the foundation of thew Internet WWW ,piracy its all over the world

I remember all that trouble with FSplanet that its seems it vanished it wasn't just me, and what about the torrent files and the software system ,

Servers are everywhere in Panama, Argentina, Spain, Russia, China ,Brazil the whole world have servers

I seriously doubt that they will put and end of something that should be done earlier to avoid all these piracy world

we can't denied everything its available on the internet all windows OS , all softwares ,all music ,all videos , Even movies On Line while they are on the theaters <--this is the worse Ive ever seen!

I just thought of an interestign thing.  This is only U.S. government right?  What about sites from OTHER COUNTRIES?  Aren't those out of our (uhhh..... let me think of the right word here)  (legal influence? :-?)