You can hate SOPA, but at least take a few minutes to educate yourself about it.
Let me start off by saying I’m opposed to Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). My House representative, Lamar Smith, is the sponsor of the bill and he offices just down the road from me. I have submitted comments to him letting him know I’m not in favor of the bill, primarily because of my concern that it suggests the internet belongs to America.
But after reading lots of criticism of the bill last week, I realized that a lot of people who are blasting it haven’t even made an attempt to learn the basics of the bill.
Kind of like this article from Engadget last week, blasting GoDaddy for its (since retracted) support of SOPA.
I generally don’t give much credence to articles that have “Hate F*cking” in the title, but I decided to read a couple paragraphs of the post.
It’s clear the author at this tech publication knows less about SOPA that I do.
First sentence: “GoDaddy, proud supporter of internet censorship bill SOPA, has responded to those questioning its motives.”
The story then links to a (since removed) blog post on GoDaddy’s web site that includes GoDaddy general counsel Christine Jones’ comments on the bill. But she wasn’t responding to the recent uproar; it was written long ago.
(Which brings up another point — GoDaddy has supported SOPA since it’s beginning, yet the internet just found out about it last week.)
But the next part of the Engadget story is the kicker:
Well, actually, it is about both of these.
Time and time again I see articles like this one that just spread confusion. I suspect 99% of those that say they’re against SOPA know very little about it, other than that people they like say they’re opposed to it.
Dave Zan says
Sigh, sort of sad. That’s reality for you.
Mike says
Godaddy didnt retract anything other than their vocal opposition to it. I would be willing to be they’re still very much behind it.
RH says
If that is your primary reason that is a little screwed up.
Mike says
When a Bill has language in it such as:
“To promote prosperity, creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation by combating the theft of U.S. property, and for other purposes.” —H.R. 3261
from: http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/112%20HR%203261.pdf
I get worried. Its just like the health care “reform” Bill, this Bill does nothing to protect anyone and everything to further strip people of their freedoms.
“and for other purposes” ???? Just like the health care bill, “lets pass it so we can see whats in it” Pelosi BS…
Lets see, lets pass SOPA to find out the OTHER purposes are to COME TAKE YOUR HOME AND CAR and give you no recourse.
Its all BS.
Let brand owners protect their own brands. The government should not be responsible for protecting brands. I heard one person say that this Bill would protect people from buying prescriptions from fake pharmacies in Canada. Why? Let Canada enforce themselves. Lets stop playing traffic cop.
Of course hundreds of large companies are behind this…. Companies do all they can do to get other people to spend time and money doing things. Fine. In practice that is great when you’re using other people or company’s time and money but do NOT use mine tax payer dollars and continue to grow the government to obscene levels only to add more bureaucratic BS to it so companies can wash their hands of protecting their own assets.
Dan says
Hi,
Plenty of protections & laws already on the books for ALL these folks, which they are already ‘abusing’…especially the ‘IPCzar” using the “Pro-IP of 2008″ to seize domains/websites in the U.S. and outside the U.S.…using ICE & HLS to do the dirty work…under a program call “Operation In Our Sites”.
Until this is corrected, I see no reason at ALL for any kind of new law. SOPA would only add to this IMO, especially if they are allow to take down sites for having a ‘link’ to a site that they deem in violation of any of these laws.
Which they have done and are doing right now.
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(8) LANHAM ACT: already allows you to be sued for TM & copyright infringements, without any “due process” as it is up to you to prove your innocents in Federal Court. As it relates to domain names, if found guilty of say registering a TM domain or a “typeO” domain name(s) and you had it/them parked…your liable for up to 100K per domain name & 3x the revenue each domain earned while you had it parked.
There is no ‘due process’ under this ACT. Just to name one company that has used this many times… “MS” has used it,and received multi million judgements…It can just about ‘bankrupt’ people or company’s’…defending themselves, just in lawyer fees. You lose if you lose & you lose if you win.
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(9) NONDOMESTIC DOMAIN NAME: This will be used by the “IPCzar” (ICE& HLS) to go after people who they have shut down on domain extensions controlled by the U.S and put their site back up under a different country domain…not controlled by the U.S.
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Laws already on the books:
Pro-IP Of 2008
LANHAM ACT
DMCA safe harbors
And more…
Best,
‘D’
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@ Mike
” Just like the health care bill, “lets pass it so we can see whats in it” Pelosi BS… ”
That is exactly what they wanted to do, before the public sent emails & made calls. Also, ‘Godaddy’s’ statement to the House in support of the bill in NOV…reflects this same sort of attitude.
DotCom says
Its about NO REGULATIONS.
That is all, the internet is the last free place for humanity. And if you try to regulate it… There is this group “anonymous” that is populated by evert 15-22 year old on the planet.
Do not regulate the internet, or you will pay dearly. That is it, end of discussion. People won’t protest on the street all day. We will hack from our armchairs like a boss.
john says
I’m 99% sure that the guy who wrote this article in Domain Name Wire does not know how to write in English.If you can’t write in English, how can you presume to understand the bill?
Dave says
I realize I’m probably “dignifying” DotCom’s comment, but I love it when some people say “end of discussion” as if they dictate it. If it were end of discussion, then people from all walks of life – especially those WITH a dog in this so-called fight – wouldn’t be talking about this. So…you want to hack from your armchair to dictate or force YOUR opinion on others who especially don’t agree with you?
Sam says
Bottom line: Piracy is theft. In the world outside of the web theft is punishable and nobody considers it an intrusion by the government to prosecute those who steal and to seek out those who run black market operations. SOPA, though it is going to be a bother in its execution, is an admirable attempt at protecting the marketplace of ideas and, frankly, the American dream. Comparing it to the healthcare bill and accusing it of being a slipper slope to 1984 and Big Brother’s evil reign is highly uncalled for unless you propose complete anarchy. If the internet is going to be used for the equivalent of what is considered a crime offline, then our system of laws and morals need to be modified to apply online. As a law student studying IP law, specifically copyright law, and as an artist, I see the good side of SOPA.
Sam says
*slippery