LiveJournal: Why We Oppose SOPA and PIPA

[theljstaff]

Since 1999, LiveJournal has been a safe harbor of self-expression and creativity, with the most substantial privacy policies of any social site. We believe the Internet must remain a place that is free to use, free to explore, and free to express.

This is why LiveJournal ardently opposes the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect

Comments

[miinacho]

How about international users of LJ? How can we help?

[rylee900]

We're unimportant.

[miinacho]

No, don't think like that. ^^
Oh, Sooyoung. ^^
I like Yuri, though <3

[kittyknighton]

People won't have "US friends" for long if the government starts blocking out everything it can claim isn't hosted domestically. Ironic that we've been seeing so much news about how access to the internet plays a role in liberating countries from oppressive regimes, and now suddenly the US thinks internet freedoms need to be revoked. What makes me really uncomfortable is how this seems designed less to fight piracy like it claims and more to cut the US off from everyone else. And for what, to make people buy a few more songs and movies? I think it's really so they can start cutting off our ability to see how others in the world live, so we won't all start realizing it would be way better to live in Canada (as an example.)

[dewline]

Here in Canada...well, we've got our own issues right now. Our Prime Minister considers the Republican Party to be the ideal American partners to work with, even though they're currently doing their version of "holding their noses".

Also, we have Bills C-10(the "Safe Streets and Communities Act" AKA the "OmniCrime Bill"), C-11(revising copyright law) and C-52(a warrant-free net.surveillance initiative referred to as "lawful access") on the docket. I believe C-10's been passed, but the other two are still in process.

[kittyknighton]

Aww man. Sorry the stink's blowing your way. =/

I find American politics endlessly frustrating because I'm not polarized in either direction. And if you want anyone here talking up the things you want, you almost have to be extremely one or the other.

[dewline]

*shrugs* Life next door to the Elephant, as Pierre Trudeau said when I was a kid...you live with that.

[kittyknighton]

Hey, that's a good one. Even if it's sort of sad, for me. =P

[nyxalinth]

We don't need an attitude problem.

It isn't that you aren't imp[important. It has to do with you don't live here and have no say because you aren't a citizen. If something was going on in wherever you are, and I wanted to sign a petition, I'd get shot down, too. Because I am not a citizen, that's why.

I don't make the rules. If it were up to me, I'd welcome the help.

[rylee900]

It...was a joke,really.

[nyxalinth]

Oh! Sorry, my internet humor detection is fail today.

[otamicatcher]

I don't know if you are aware that your language (English) unfortunately is what we call "universal" language, and most of the time, the first second language of people around the world (most of the time, or mainly, but not -the only-). What I'm saying is, if I want to get something that is not from my country, or in my first language, I manage to find it in English. If SOPA and PIPA become part of your reality, them people like me, who gets things through the English language are "doomed", let's say, as well.

But that doesn't really affects me... I can always learn one or two languages... The problem is, if politicians in my country start to think that things like SOPA and PIPA are useful to end piracy.

[achacunsagloire]

You are not unimportant. You can help spread the word so more American users become aware of this issue.

[rosewildeirish]

International internet users are not unimportant. In fact, this piece of legislation is trying to enforce U.S. laws on an international audience, up to and including criminal prosecution. It's a bad law. It needs to be revised, or, IMO, not passed at all in any form.

BTW, I am a U.S. citizen. I definitely do not think that people outside my country are "unimportant" or don't count.

[rylee900]

While I was mainly just kidding around,I think that's my problem with it,pretty much.Why should the U.S,be able to do that? I mean,the U.S government wouldn't like it if my country enforced it's (many) censoring laws worldwide.

It effects international users of the internet,so I think I was mostly aiming that at the people who support SOPA and PIPA,of which I know thee are some,but hope there are few. I didn't mean to offend anyone from the U.S,really.