ACTA, SOPA and PIPA

[hizzle?]

The FBI arrested 7 people related to Megaupload.com and they shut the website down.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/stor...ds-shut-down-megaupload-7-charged?ref=secitem

WASHINGTON ​

- Megaupload.com, one of the world's largest file-sharing sites, has been shut down and seven people charged with copyright infringement and other crimes, US authorities announced Thursday.​

 

[Flipmo]

I see. So it punishes people who reap the benefits from another persons work. On principle alone, I can't disagree with that.

I don't see how using someone's academic journals to strengthen your thesis/website is reaping the benefits from another person's work. As long as it is sourced, it is fine and follows within the codes of academic ethics.

I don't see the link for the other two (posting a video of you playing a video game, or posting a picture of Skyrim) - fuck it if anything, it is a promotional tool for these companies if someone does it. Just like the shirt you walk around with the brand name in big on the front of it is a company's way of promoting their brand without having to pay the promoter.

Plz correct me if I'm misunderstanding the point you're trying to make though.

 

[Da_Funk]

sure, an ignoramus would make that conclusion. but if the ignoramus took 5 minutes to research the matter on his own, ignoramus might cease to be ignoramus.

lol.

I read the bill or, the majority of it. I agree with it in principle, but not in the way it is written. It screws people over who just upload stuff and don't make any profit off it. But the website hosting it does make money off it without paying any royalties. Which is where the problem comes in; that is illegal in every other form of media but it's ok on the internet? I'm not allowed to use other peoples ideas in my thesis, why should it be ok on the internet?

It's like.. there is a very good chance the data from my thesis will be published, if some schmuck uses that data on his website in an article or whatever it may be, and that article generates traffic which in turn generates revenue you bet your ass I'd want a piece of that revenue and would do everything in my power to get it or have him shutdown.

 

[Da_Funk]

I don't see how using someone's academic journals to strengthen your thesis/website is reaping the benefits from another person's work. As long as it is sourced, it is fine and follows within the codes of academic ethics.

I don't see the link for the other two (posting a video of you playing a video game, or posting a picture of Skyrim) - fuck it if anything, it is a promotional tool for these companies if someone does it. Just like the shirt you walk around with the brand name in big on the front of it is a company's way of promoting their brand without having to pay the promoter.

Plz correct me if I'm misunderstanding the point you're trying to make though.

Refer to my post above but, essentially they are going after people who use copyrighted material and make a profit on that material without paying royalties. It's just the way they are going after those people affects those who use that copyrighted material, give reference to it, and don't make a profit in a negative fashion

 

[Flipmo]

Well, when it comes to huge sites with big revenues, I believe you usually need the OK from the author in question. On occasions though, researchers won't care as it gives them publicity which is sometimes even more valuable to them as it opens up future opportunities in prestigious universities and thensome.

I see what you're saying though, and there have been a few times where authors of papers, research, books, etc. have sued people and websites over the use of their data.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

 

[Jokerman]

Even though I hate piracy, I find these bills scary. I see threats from both parties of interpreting the powers in these laws any damn way they see fit. Never underestimate the ability of any politician of any stripe to misinterpret a law in such a way that it will fatten his wallet or help him get reelected, and to hell with whoever happens to be in the way.​

 

[Flipmo]

Pirates' Bay released this press statement today: http://static.thepiratebay.org/legal/sopa.txt

Opinions?

 

[Shadows]

If more sites like Megaupload go down, REAL music that we listen to that isn't supported by the Industry that's trying to get cool meme's and dances in music, will surely kill music. FUCK SOPA and all this other shit.

 

[Preach]

This would be the first step in a scary direction. If this bill passes it's not gonna stop there for going after people on the internet. Fuck plagiarism. It _won't_ stop there.

Plus, ideas like owning something because you thought of it never cured polio. The scariest thing about this isn't that the due people get credit. It's the presedence it sets, and what comes after. And are you saying you never downloaded a single mp3, movie or tv-show episode? Otherwise the argument about rightful ownership is, well...

 

[Preach]

Pirates' Bay released this press statement today: http://static.thepiratebay.org/legal/sopa.txt

Opinions?

Good enough that i'll put it on facebook

 

[Pittsey]

Doesn't this bill give power to the government to remove a website based on another persons say, before a trial or investigation?

That is some scary shit.

Anyone who believes in this bill is a moron....

 

[Ristol]

My kneejerk reaction was to agree with the e-revolt: this bill sucks! Let's kill it! But I didn't want to say anything until I fully informed myself. Now I want to say something.

We don't need SOPA. It sucks, as it is. BUT: the spirit of the bill is fine with me. Stop piracy? Yeah, do it. Do it now. Piracy is fucking bullshit. I think a lot of the people railing against this bill are doing so for the wrong reasons: they're just pissed off they wouldn't be able to get free shit. But albums/movies/TV shows are produced at great cost, and they've come to expect them for free. Believe me, I understand. I'm just as guilty as they are. But I'm not gonna bitch about it when somebody tells me the party's over. Stopping piracy is a really, really good idea.

However: the people who wrote this Draconian bill only wrote it that way because they're totally ignorant of the internet itself. They don't realize they'd be stepping into a culture they do not understand, and jailing people who never expected it (and who DO NOT deserve it).They'd be creating real injustice. I don't think they get it. With the blackouts et al, some of 'em are starting to. They're starting to realize that the bill doesn't need to be scrapped; it needs to be rewritten.

It's too broad. Websites could be shut down with no chance to appeal. I think ISPs, search engines, hardware makers, etc. should have to police themselves, to pay copyright holders, and to play a role in stopping file-sharing that denies an artist his or her money. I would appreciate if Google would acknowledge that it makes a profit (not a huge sum, but a profit) from giving people access to piracy. They make half a cent, or something equally paltry. The artist doesn't.

This is the reckoning the internet deserves. I'd just like it to be more sensible.

 

[Pittsey]

I am not against stopping piracy.... I am against against an unfair bill that can be abused.

 

[Da_Funk]

Plus, ideas like owning something because you thought of it never cured polio.

Sorry, but this is faulty logic. People get paid for their work, period. It doesn't matter whether that pay is millions, thousands, or just hundreds, you get paid. If you take that away what incentive does someone have to do their job?

Howcome you don't show up to work and work for free? Someone must benefit from what you do so why shouldn't you work for free?

 

[S O F I]

You must live in a fantasy world if you think content creators' work gets pirated by the thousands and not one person pays for it. No creator, artist, or movie studio for that matter can blame piracy for their lack of monetary success. But more on this later, after I've had my coffee.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Swizz beats was the CEO for megaupload...right?

 

[masta247]

It's like.. there is a very good chance the data from my thesis will be published, if some schmuck uses that data on his website in an article or whatever it may be, and that article generates traffic which in turn generates revenue you bet your ass I'd want a piece of that revenue and would do everything in my power to get it or have him shutdown.

Actually it helps us as a society to grow, publishing important findings and information on the internet is currently the pinnacle of our evolution as human beings, thing that pushes people to grow - information is the most important thing and open information trading is what I truly believe is great for the world, and basically our future. Cheesy, but I think it's true.
These bills make everything go in a totally wrong direction.
While I don't believe that someone should make profit of YOUR findings, I believe that you should be encouraged to publish those findings for free, so other people might read them, reuse them for their own scientific reasons to do great things that other people might take advantage of (and I don't mean sell, I mean grow or educate themselves thanks to them).

People used to laught at what happens in North Korea or China where the government has total control over the internet. In the western world it was one of the main things that used to place us above them. Now the governments will be able to do exactly the same thing, but in the name of huge companies.
You publish a note criticizing a video game - your website disappears, you go to jail or pay.
You publish a picture of your favorite actor taken from your favorite movie - you have serious trouble.
They suspect that you've used someone's information for your own reasons - they will take all your computers for a few months to find out. It's what reasonable people have been fighting with for years, yet SOPA, PIPA and ACTA empower huge, "evil" companies to do what they want in this aspect and take away the freedom of.. everything on the internet (other than paying for all content). It's going in a terrible, terrible way and I believe that while SOPA, PIPA and ACTA are absolutely disastrous they are merely a first step in a wrong direction. If this passes, even more unfortunate mechanisms might get introduced in the future.

 

[Pittsey]

I used to buy every cd. Now they are so poor and over priced that I wait until they drop in price and then pick them up....

Why is an mp3 album only 10% cheaper than a hard copy of an album?

Greed is the reason for poor album sales. Greed is the reason people bootleg. Greed is the reason for this bill....

Too many people read the newspaper and form the opinion the media gave you.... Too many people wrongly think they are successful capitalists.... You are not... You are a pawn. When you pay less than 5% tax, and earn in excess of $30 Million a year. Then you are a capitalist.

Soon.... You won't be able to play music in your car with the windows down. And if you do.... You will be charged Royalties for broadcasting.

 

[Flipmo]

The line between ethical/unethical - stealing/sharing - right/wrong - when it comes to this topic is so thin that you can't help but the good reasoning on both sides of the spectrum. I think it really comes down to who you are as a person.

Personally, I'm all for the exchange of knowledge in all shapes. I do believe that people will pay for an album or whatever that is really good. I think the internet does an excellent job of cutting the middle-man as well and linking people right to the source. Gabe Newell (for those who don't know him, he's more or less the creator of the game Half-Life, and the big shot at Valve Studios) released a press statement not long ago and said that pirating is not a money issue, it's a service issue.

“The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting antipiracy technology to work. It’s by giving those people a service that’s better than what they’re receiving from the pirates… . If a pirate offers a product anywhere in the world, 24 x 7, purchasable from the convenience of your personal computer, and the legal provider says the product is region-locked, will come to your country 3 months after the US release, and can only be purchased at a brick and mortar store, then the pirate’s service is more valuable.”

I think this is really a good point. Innovation is key, and lot of corporations just are not willing to go that way.

 

[Prize Gotti]

FBI just took MegaUpload offline today. Is this the really the beginning of the death of the Internet?