talking Black March (not the book)
So, SOPA/PIPA are off the table. For now at least. (Some info here and here.) It's a relief, but I can't help thinking it'll have a rethink and come back later.
What's going around now is Black March, which is essentially a proposed boycott of the media industry this March. In principal it seems like a good idea: showing the big corporations that without their customers they have nothing. But I just don't think it'll have much impact overall.
A boycott is essentially doing nothing and that's hard to measure. How will the industry know who is boycotting and who just can't afford anything in March, or who just didn't want to buy anything in March? And sure, they'll be a cut in profits, but it won't be the decision-makers at the top of the pile that will feel the impact of that, it'll be the everyday people in the customer facing roles, stacking shelves and suffering through the recession already.
People standing up and saying something, signing petitions and making noise, cluttering up the inboxes of officials, mithering, making a splash in the news - that I believe would make more of an impact in this case (and I like to think it's contributed to the tabling of SOPA/PIPA).
I've been chatting with people lately about what constitutes protesting and what's an effective form of protest. Any thoughts, in relation to Black March or otherwise?
What's going around now is Black March, which is essentially a proposed boycott of the media industry this March. In principal it seems like a good idea: showing the big corporations that without their customers they have nothing. But I just don't think it'll have much impact overall.
A boycott is essentially doing nothing and that's hard to measure. How will the industry know who is boycotting and who just can't afford anything in March, or who just didn't want to buy anything in March? And sure, they'll be a cut in profits, but it won't be the decision-makers at the top of the pile that will feel the impact of that, it'll be the everyday people in the customer facing roles, stacking shelves and suffering through the recession already.
People standing up and saying something, signing petitions and making noise, cluttering up the inboxes of officials, mithering, making a splash in the news - that I believe would make more of an impact in this case (and I like to think it's contributed to the tabling of SOPA/PIPA).
I've been chatting with people lately about what constitutes protesting and what's an effective form of protest. Any thoughts, in relation to Black March or otherwise?