On Internet Censorship
We had SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) which were then bills in the United States' government that were aimed towards censoring the web to those in the United States. Big conglomerates associated with the worldwide web spoke up against the said bills.
Now that SOPA and PIPA have been shelved, there looms another threat to freedom in the worldwide web: ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement). These bills are apparently a threat to the democracy that is the internet today. If these things pass then netizens are doomed to limited freedom in the internet. Do we want that? Most likely, not. In case you're not familiar with any of these three, particularly the ACTA then perhaps you ought to know more about it here. There are more sites that offer information on ACTA and it is best that one reads up on this agreement going around the European Union at this moment. By arming yourself with the knowledge of ACTA and being inquisitive enough to note that there are lapses to the said worldwide agreement, then perhaps it is time that you decide whether you are for it or against it. I already have my thoughts on ACTA and even when my voice is too weak to reach those who are in areas affected by it, I stand firm to say I am against it.
One thing I don't like is the government everywhere in the world butting in on how the masses use the worldwide web. I think that the masses can use it anyway they can in that they should be able to move forward with the latest innovations online and offline. There's a lot to lose when internet is censored by passing of ACTA come the next few days in Poland and then in other countries included in the European Union. Also, lately, there have been strings of incidents among storage sites that have been causing a blunder all around. MegaUpload's take down---and I think I know there's reason enough for this---and then you have FileSonic's shutdown and finally, Mediafire and 4Shared being called onto the trial stand. First off, they are storage sites and they aren't really liable to the items being uploaded on them. One cannot be sure if they are indeed liable to the piracy that is going on everywhere today. Before any legislation or bill concerning the worldwide web should be passed, people should first look into the very definition of piracy. Piracy is somehow arbitrary considering one might consider it differently than the others.
Looks like my ACTA box isn't showing up. Either way, yep, just keep yourself informed and remain vigilant. Bills are around like the ACTA and the new bill the backer of SOPA is drafting which could possibly mean the end of the democratic Internet community.
The way I see it, there isn't a lot of people that care for this but those who are aware enough how these bills could affect a lot of people. This is the part I'm quite sad with. I don't see a lot of people concerning themselves with this when this could very easily affect them once the bills, agreements aiming to obliterate the worldwide web's democracy is being pushed for. I normally wouldn't go against politics just because it's futile to do so and I am not one who is fond of anything going on with politics just about everywhere---including Hollywood---but this is something alarming for someone who works online like me and a few others who would like to have their privacy in the internet to themselves (thank you, very much).
ACTA does not just mean internet censorship. It could affect trade with other countries as well. BTW, perhaps you should know by now that the RP doesn't seem to be included in the agreement along with other third world-ish countries? You might be wondering why I'm blogging on this when we aren't at all involved with this bill back here. The thing is, this could be deterrent to the development of such countries or I see it as such anyway. Trade, tourism and even health care can easily change when this agreement is passed and it is NEAR completion. The more affordable generic drugs would be wiped out in favor of the high priced branded drugs. It's high time to concern yourself then if you aren't at all alarmed by this yet.
Who would like to see internet democracy crippled to the point of dysfunction? I surely wouldn't. This is basically like Hitler's rule 2.0 except it's a threat to the worldwide web today.
kg*
Now that SOPA and PIPA have been shelved, there looms another threat to freedom in the worldwide web: ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement). These bills are apparently a threat to the democracy that is the internet today. If these things pass then netizens are doomed to limited freedom in the internet. Do we want that? Most likely, not. In case you're not familiar with any of these three, particularly the ACTA then perhaps you ought to know more about it here. There are more sites that offer information on ACTA and it is best that one reads up on this agreement going around the European Union at this moment. By arming yourself with the knowledge of ACTA and being inquisitive enough to note that there are lapses to the said worldwide agreement, then perhaps it is time that you decide whether you are for it or against it. I already have my thoughts on ACTA and even when my voice is too weak to reach those who are in areas affected by it, I stand firm to say I am against it.
One thing I don't like is the government everywhere in the world butting in on how the masses use the worldwide web. I think that the masses can use it anyway they can in that they should be able to move forward with the latest innovations online and offline. There's a lot to lose when internet is censored by passing of ACTA come the next few days in Poland and then in other countries included in the European Union. Also, lately, there have been strings of incidents among storage sites that have been causing a blunder all around. MegaUpload's take down---and I think I know there's reason enough for this---and then you have FileSonic's shutdown and finally, Mediafire and 4Shared being called onto the trial stand. First off, they are storage sites and they aren't really liable to the items being uploaded on them. One cannot be sure if they are indeed liable to the piracy that is going on everywhere today. Before any legislation or bill concerning the worldwide web should be passed, people should first look into the very definition of piracy. Piracy is somehow arbitrary considering one might consider it differently than the others.
Looks like my ACTA box isn't showing up. Either way, yep, just keep yourself informed and remain vigilant. Bills are around like the ACTA and the new bill the backer of SOPA is drafting which could possibly mean the end of the democratic Internet community.
The way I see it, there isn't a lot of people that care for this but those who are aware enough how these bills could affect a lot of people. This is the part I'm quite sad with. I don't see a lot of people concerning themselves with this when this could very easily affect them once the bills, agreements aiming to obliterate the worldwide web's democracy is being pushed for. I normally wouldn't go against politics just because it's futile to do so and I am not one who is fond of anything going on with politics just about everywhere---including Hollywood---but this is something alarming for someone who works online like me and a few others who would like to have their privacy in the internet to themselves (thank you, very much).
ACTA does not just mean internet censorship. It could affect trade with other countries as well. BTW, perhaps you should know by now that the RP doesn't seem to be included in the agreement along with other third world-ish countries? You might be wondering why I'm blogging on this when we aren't at all involved with this bill back here. The thing is, this could be deterrent to the development of such countries or I see it as such anyway. Trade, tourism and even health care can easily change when this agreement is passed and it is NEAR completion. The more affordable generic drugs would be wiped out in favor of the high priced branded drugs. It's high time to concern yourself then if you aren't at all alarmed by this yet.
Who would like to see internet democracy crippled to the point of dysfunction? I surely wouldn't. This is basically like Hitler's rule 2.0 except it's a threat to the worldwide web today.
kg*