I’ve made more than one mention in the past month or so about the bills going through US Congress Protect IP (or PIPA) and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). I spoke about how they are a blow against the personal freedom of everyone who uses the internet and would have crushed people’s right to free speech on this great and glorious internet.
However, possibly largely due to the media blackout on the 18th of this month, WE have WON! That’s right folks, both SOPA and PIPA have been put on hold and it’s all thanks to… well I’m gonna go ahead and say everyone! Due to people continuously contacting their representatives in the US, people protesting, signing petitions and of course the blackout of many prominent websites Congress took notice of the fuss people were making and acted accordingly.
Let me give you an example. As of Wednesday, during the internet blackout in Congress there were 80 members in favour of the bills, with just 31 against. As of the most recent polls though it’s changed to 65 in favour, and 101 against! With people switching sides and more making up their minds! Huzzah!
So both the bills have been put on hold! We beat them! Everyone who took part in this did something to beat these pieces of legislation. And while they may come back (there’s nothing about them being put on hold indefinitely) we definitely dealt them a massive blow and sent them running with their tails between their legs!
In fact there is now a new piece of legislation called OPEN (Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act) going through US Congress which actually will be starting the fight against internet piracy (like SOPA and PIPA wanted) but without the infringement of online freedom. At least that’s how I understand it. And already places like Google and Facebook (and many other technological giants) have voiced support for it.
Now I don’t really want to bore you with it if you aren’t that interested but you can read more about it here.
Anyway! Well done guys! We fought the good fight and we’ve beaten the bastards back! Hurrah! I even like to think that we at MMGaming played some small part…
MMGaming.net 
Hmm, I think all this “we beat ’em” language is a little on the strong side. one of the big complaints about these acts was that they were too vague and wrote by people who didn’t know what the kind of damage they were doing. but just mark my words in a year or two a new revised version of the acts will be back this time wrote by people with a bit more savvy. now if they really *really* have to have an act I’d rather some pros re word the thing so it isn’t as ridiculous but I still kinda like the internet the way it is.
Oh, scratch that! got on my high horse before i read the part about OPEN. ^_^; sorry seb, well caught
No worries man. I would say, you are right actually that it’s all too likely that SOPA and/or PIPA will make an attempt to rise again like Bowser in Mario. But I think, like people SHOULD do with Bowser in Mario, people will either ignore it, not give them any credit or just beat them down again.
I think that really, unless they make a hell of a lot of changes to the bills, they won’t ever really pass. After all… We have the weight of Anon behind us.
“People shouldn’t be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.”