SOPA/PIPA
It's a hot issue right now, and rightly so. There are plenty of places to get information about the bills, and their respective effects and affects.
So a link to spread the information around, because that's what the Internet does, and that's what's at danger here. From some of the most eloquent people I know, here's a protest that involves raising voices rather than a blackout.
An Open Letter
The intentions behind the bills addresses symptoms of copyright infringement. Specifically, it addresses file-sharing and profiting off of copyright materials. The cause itself is noble, but the acts the US Senate and House are proposing are too stifling, and too far-reaching. The wording is vague and the damage a poorly-worded law could do is horrifying.
My roommate asked this and I'm sure others have too: "I'm not in the States, why should it affect me? Shouldn't other countries have a vote in this?"
The answer to the latter is an outright "no." The legal system in the US passes bills through its House and Senate with the support of State representatives who are supposed to act on behalf of their voting voice. The legal system in the US can ignore international voices just as easily as any other country can. It makes for shit foreign policy, but the proposers of these acts honestly believe that they're doing good. It has nothing to do with the American ego, and everything to do with the nature of the Internet.
They already have legal powers in other countries regarding copyright infringement. Those FBI warnings of doom before films basically act as a contract against piracy-- read one carefully the next time you watch a film, because it lays out exactly why the US can get away with their take down of the MegaUpload company. Again, it's not ego, it's a misguided and heavy-handed attempt to protect artists.
Which is why I included the above link-- it's a statement from the artists.
So, I know that it could bring down every single gaming site if enacted, just for showing box images, trailers, screenshots, etc. without approval (which could set back reviews and discussions about games weeks-to-months). But how could it affect fandom works?
Utterly annihilate them.
We, as fanfic writers and fan artists, post disclaimers to ensure that we aren't profiting from these silly little things. We, as a community, smack down those who do try to profit from these works. But that's not enough in the eyes of SOPA and/or PIPA.
If it targeted LJ, LJ would be gone. Userpics would be banned, communities, fanworks posted in private journals, etc. Anything not 100% original and owned by the poster would be removed. All blog sites would face the same thing. Dreamwidth, Wordpress, MySpace, Blogger, Reddit, Tumblr (fucking doomed, that one).
Hell, if it targeted DeviantArt, there goes that. Even artists posting and sharing what they owned, and even though DA offers base protections, it's not enough. The Favourite system already infringes on the "sharing" aspect of both bills.
If enacted, the problem is no longer an "if this is targeted" but a "when". Sites operated outside of the US do not gain immunity, that's what Interpol is for. And that's why a few people in New Zealand working for MegaUpload were arrested recently.
Now, this wouldn't be an issue if it was the US censoring their own IP Addresses. Censor their Internet intake and monitor what gets through their firewall like one of the stricter regimes in the world. No. They can't do that because it's too obviously censorship, and it's too easy to lose support and strike that down. But since this is a country that prides itself on business practices, it can rework the idea to affect the whole Internet and throw its political weight around. This problem crosses borders because the Internet crosses borders. Information crosses borders.
What's happened is that the bill supporters have ignored the censorship and acted as a "for their own good" force in the debate. This isn't a malicious attack against everyone, this is genuine stupidity and short-sightedness regarding copyright law and the Internet.
People not living in the US can contact the US representatives in their countries, or their own foreign offices and raise their concerns. Yes, Americans contact their representatives and congress; everyone else, contact the Americans.
But, for the love of whatever you think is holy, don't contact and rage. Do your research, plan what you want to say, and word it as politely and professionally as possible! This isn't a slapfight over a forum, this is contacting people who you want to stand up for you. You want their support and their understanding on why SOPA/PIPA is a stupid idea.
SOPA and PIPA are not "putting the reigns on a wild horse" like the supporters want to think. It's shooting wildly at the horse and hoping there are more bystanders standing than lying dead when the dust clears.
So a link to spread the information around, because that's what the Internet does, and that's what's at danger here. From some of the most eloquent people I know, here's a protest that involves raising voices rather than a blackout.
An Open Letter
The intentions behind the bills addresses symptoms of copyright infringement. Specifically, it addresses file-sharing and profiting off of copyright materials. The cause itself is noble, but the acts the US Senate and House are proposing are too stifling, and too far-reaching. The wording is vague and the damage a poorly-worded law could do is horrifying.
My roommate asked this and I'm sure others have too: "I'm not in the States, why should it affect me? Shouldn't other countries have a vote in this?"
The answer to the latter is an outright "no." The legal system in the US passes bills through its House and Senate with the support of State representatives who are supposed to act on behalf of their voting voice. The legal system in the US can ignore international voices just as easily as any other country can. It makes for shit foreign policy, but the proposers of these acts honestly believe that they're doing good. It has nothing to do with the American ego, and everything to do with the nature of the Internet.
They already have legal powers in other countries regarding copyright infringement. Those FBI warnings of doom before films basically act as a contract against piracy-- read one carefully the next time you watch a film, because it lays out exactly why the US can get away with their take down of the MegaUpload company. Again, it's not ego, it's a misguided and heavy-handed attempt to protect artists.
Which is why I included the above link-- it's a statement from the artists.
So, I know that it could bring down every single gaming site if enacted, just for showing box images, trailers, screenshots, etc. without approval (which could set back reviews and discussions about games weeks-to-months). But how could it affect fandom works?
Utterly annihilate them.
We, as fanfic writers and fan artists, post disclaimers to ensure that we aren't profiting from these silly little things. We, as a community, smack down those who do try to profit from these works. But that's not enough in the eyes of SOPA and/or PIPA.
If it targeted LJ, LJ would be gone. Userpics would be banned, communities, fanworks posted in private journals, etc. Anything not 100% original and owned by the poster would be removed. All blog sites would face the same thing. Dreamwidth, Wordpress, MySpace, Blogger, Reddit, Tumblr (fucking doomed, that one).
Hell, if it targeted DeviantArt, there goes that. Even artists posting and sharing what they owned, and even though DA offers base protections, it's not enough. The Favourite system already infringes on the "sharing" aspect of both bills.
If enacted, the problem is no longer an "if this is targeted" but a "when". Sites operated outside of the US do not gain immunity, that's what Interpol is for. And that's why a few people in New Zealand working for MegaUpload were arrested recently.
Now, this wouldn't be an issue if it was the US censoring their own IP Addresses. Censor their Internet intake and monitor what gets through their firewall like one of the stricter regimes in the world. No. They can't do that because it's too obviously censorship, and it's too easy to lose support and strike that down. But since this is a country that prides itself on business practices, it can rework the idea to affect the whole Internet and throw its political weight around. This problem crosses borders because the Internet crosses borders. Information crosses borders.
What's happened is that the bill supporters have ignored the censorship and acted as a "for their own good" force in the debate. This isn't a malicious attack against everyone, this is genuine stupidity and short-sightedness regarding copyright law and the Internet.
People not living in the US can contact the US representatives in their countries, or their own foreign offices and raise their concerns. Yes, Americans contact their representatives and congress; everyone else, contact the Americans.
But, for the love of whatever you think is holy, don't contact and rage. Do your research, plan what you want to say, and word it as politely and professionally as possible! This isn't a slapfight over a forum, this is contacting people who you want to stand up for you. You want their support and their understanding on why SOPA/PIPA is a stupid idea.
SOPA and PIPA are not "putting the reigns on a wild horse" like the supporters want to think. It's shooting wildly at the horse and hoping there are more bystanders standing than lying dead when the dust clears.