Join Flickr in the fight against Sopa!

[blackrose89]

In case you haven't heard The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is a bill being presented at congress. If it passes they will force search engines and domains to blacklist and block internet users from entering sites that have been accused (not convicted, just accused) of posting copyrighted content. The main sites in danger of closing down will be: Youtube, Craigslist, Ebay, Flickr, Tumblr, and much more. Some of the main companies supporting this bill are Disney and the Mpaa. This is a way for the government to control and censor the internet. A lot of jobs will be lost for people who have online businesses.


For more info on the bill and how it will effect us
How SOPA would affect you: FAQ | Privacy Inc. - CNET News



What Flickr is doing in support of fighting this bill

http://blog.flickr.net/en/2012/01/18/pipa-sopa/

 

[Sonoma]

Here is another one to add to the heap.

Indiana, Amazon.com Reach Online Sales Tax Deal - ABC News

The United States Government WILL have control one way or another. Mark my words.

It sucks!

Edit: This should probably have been started in the "Off Topic Chat".

 

[HeatherClemons]

This topic has really been all the rage today - and for good reason. Clearly, this bill is not the answer. I've already signed the petition, which I'm sure you've seen on facebook, but juuuuust in case you haven't, here's the link!

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/ (sign it, you know you want to!)

I'm working on a blog post about it right now - but in my opinion, I'm SURE this won't pass through congress, so I don't think there's cause for a bunch of "Big Brother Will Get Us" hype just yet, but I do think this is a learning experience for artists and other creatives about how to be more clever than thieves and how to adapt in a changing world with free-flowing information.

We're smarter than this bill makes us out to be - that's the biggest point.

Heather Clemons~
Save the Artist - a creative community
[email protected]

 

[KmH]

Many web sites today are actively protesting, like the english version of Wikipedia, Google, Boing Boing and many others.

How many of you have directly contacted your congressmen to let them know how you stand on the issue?

http://news.yahoo.com/sopa-vs-pipa-anti-piracy-bills-uproar-explained-013507326.html

 

[Dao]

Who in Congress Supports SOPA and PIPA/PROTECT-IP? | SOPA Opera | ProPublica



Be sure to check with the individual what is his/stand right at this moment. He/she may already change their decision today.

 

[blackrose89]

Thanks Kieth. I believe there are dangers at work here. The government allowed to censor the internet and the rich to get rich and stronger while the middle class grow poorer.

Look at the other companies in support: Nike, Walmart, Sony, Apple, Chanel. All corporate fat cats. And who do they want to shut down? Youtube, craigslist, amazon, ebay??? These are way the little guy have been able to thrive on their own without relying on "The man". The coroporations don't like this. And now the corporate giants will be able to shut down a good amount of the businesses for the middle class working man. The middle class man grows poorer and will have to rely on the highers for a paying job while the fat cats grow richer and will hold your livelyhood in their hands.

 

[blackrose89]

A page to "like" on facebook.

 

[KmH]

Thanks Keith.

I fixed it for you.

 

[blackrose89]

Thanks Keith.

I fixed it for you.

Oh ok lol!! My name is Angel and people constantly spell it "Angle"

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Even Nancy Pelosi is against this control, so its obviously HORRID

 

[bazooka]

How many of you have directly contacted your congressmen to let them know how you stand on the issue?

I have!

 

[HeatherClemons]

Hey so I know this is a bit of a shameless plug - but I finished my blog post about the whole SOPA shenaniganza. I really don't think it will pass (unless we're really truly dealing with the apocalypse here), but I think there's a lot we can learn from it. Copyrights are important, but photographers and other artists should know how to protect themselves, adapt, and thrive in a world of free information. Bookstores had to adapt to the invention of the Kindle to stay afloat - and we have to adapt and embrace the technological world we live in.

Tons of artistic industries thrive and do wonderfully even without copyright protection. I'm not saying we shouldn't have it, but we should learn to thrive and create AS IF we didn't.

I really do think we're smarter and better than SOPA. It stifles us as human beings! Here's my article if you are interested in reading it:

http://www.savetheartist.net/learn-from-sopa/

If not, feel free to throw cyber tomatoes at me. Because that's your right.

Heather Clemons~
Save the Artist - a creative community
[email protected]

 

[KmH]

Keep after it:

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[naptime]

Many web sites today are actively protesting, like the english version of Wikipedia, Google, Boing Boing and many others.

How many of you have directly contacted your congressmen to let them know how you stand on the issue?

SOPA vs. PIPA: Anti-piracy bills, uproar explained - Yahoo! News

i have.

both via email, and in person on Monday, as our paths had crossed again.

we are lucky in Toledo that our congresswoman is consistently in the area, and always open to talking with constituents while she is out and about.

edit: as of now, her position on SOPA has not been announced according to that website listed above. when i spoke with her monday she did not give any indication either. she just politely listened to what i had to say and thanked me for her input.

 

[KmH]

Congress withdraws anti-piracy measures - Technology & science - Security - msnbc.com

Congress backs off.