Stop Online Piracy Act
Discussion
The BBC said:
The founders of Google, Twitter and eBay have signed a strongly worded letter criticising controversial US legislation ahead of a debate in Congress.
The Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) aims to slash the amount of pirated content on the internet.
But signatories including Google co-founder Sergey Brin claim it amounts to China-style censorship.
The bill has the backing of Hollywood and the music industry.
Blocking access
Sopa was introduced by Judiciary Committee chairman Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican, who said the legislation was designed to "stop the flow of revenue to rogue websites... that profit from selling pirated goods without any legal consequences".
It would give content owners and the US government the power to request court orders to shut down websites associated with piracy.
Sopa aims to stop online ad networks and payment processors from doing business with foreign websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement.
It could stop search engines from linking to the allegedly infringing sites. Domain name registrars could be forced to take down the websites, and internet service providers could be forced to block access to the sites accused of infringing.
A similar law, the Protect IP Act, is making its way through the US Senate.
Critics argue that the proposals are too broad and could lead to the closure of a range of sites.
'Due process'
The latest letter, published in several US newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and the New York Times, reads: "We've all had the good fortune to found internet companies and non-profits in a regulatory climate that promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, the creation of content and free expression online.
"However we're worried that the Protect IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act - which started out as well-meaning efforts to control piracy online - will undermine that framework."
The letter said that the legislation would require web services to monitor what users link to or upload.
The bill would also "deny website owners the right to due process" and "give the US government the power to censor the web using techniques similar to those used by China, Malaysia and Iran", the letter goes on.
"We urge Congress to think hard before changing the regulation that underpins the internet... Let's not deny the next generation of entrepreneurs and founders the same opportunities that we all had."
The letter was signed by Twitter co-founders Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams; Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake; Yahoo! co-founders David Filo and Jerry Yang; LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman; YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley; PayPal co-founder Elon Musk; Craigslist founder Craig Newmark; eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.
Another appeal, signed by 83 key internet engineers including father of the internet Vint Cerf, has also been sent to Congress.
"We cannot have a free and open internet unless its naming and routing systems sit above the political concerns and objectives of any one government or industry," it reads.
"Censorship of internet infrastructure will inevitably cause network errors and security problems. This is true in China, Iran and other countries that censor the network today; it will be just as true of American censorship."
UK copyright
A group of US politicians is proposing an alternative to Sopa that would see funding cut off to foreign websites accused of copyright infringements in a similar way to how the US ended Wikileaks' commercial operation.
They argue that the International Trade Commission (ITC) should take charge of combating piracy, instead of judges. The ITC would be tasked with reviewing claims of online infringement against foreign website owners, ordering them cut off from funding if the claims prove true.
While the US moves to tighten its copyright laws, the UK is aiming to relax its own.
The Intellectual Property Office has launched a consultation exercise intended, among other things, to allow the ripping of CDs to digital music players.
It follows recommendations from Professor Ian Hargreaves in his review of intellectual property.
Other plans include allowing data mining of scientific research for non-commercial use and a licensing scheme to make it easier for digital services to gain access to copyrighted works. It also proposes relaxing copyright rules around "parody" videos which are increasingly popular on YouTube.
The move was welcomed by the British Library and watchdog Consumer Focus, but The Publishers' Association said it was concerned that the relaxation could make intellectual property theft easier.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16195344The Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) aims to slash the amount of pirated content on the internet.
But signatories including Google co-founder Sergey Brin claim it amounts to China-style censorship.
The bill has the backing of Hollywood and the music industry.
Blocking access
Sopa was introduced by Judiciary Committee chairman Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican, who said the legislation was designed to "stop the flow of revenue to rogue websites... that profit from selling pirated goods without any legal consequences".
It would give content owners and the US government the power to request court orders to shut down websites associated with piracy.
Sopa aims to stop online ad networks and payment processors from doing business with foreign websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement.
It could stop search engines from linking to the allegedly infringing sites. Domain name registrars could be forced to take down the websites, and internet service providers could be forced to block access to the sites accused of infringing.
A similar law, the Protect IP Act, is making its way through the US Senate.
Critics argue that the proposals are too broad and could lead to the closure of a range of sites.
'Due process'
The latest letter, published in several US newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and the New York Times, reads: "We've all had the good fortune to found internet companies and non-profits in a regulatory climate that promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, the creation of content and free expression online.
"However we're worried that the Protect IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act - which started out as well-meaning efforts to control piracy online - will undermine that framework."
The letter said that the legislation would require web services to monitor what users link to or upload.
The bill would also "deny website owners the right to due process" and "give the US government the power to censor the web using techniques similar to those used by China, Malaysia and Iran", the letter goes on.
"We urge Congress to think hard before changing the regulation that underpins the internet... Let's not deny the next generation of entrepreneurs and founders the same opportunities that we all had."
The letter was signed by Twitter co-founders Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams; Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake; Yahoo! co-founders David Filo and Jerry Yang; LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman; YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley; PayPal co-founder Elon Musk; Craigslist founder Craig Newmark; eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.
Another appeal, signed by 83 key internet engineers including father of the internet Vint Cerf, has also been sent to Congress.
"We cannot have a free and open internet unless its naming and routing systems sit above the political concerns and objectives of any one government or industry," it reads.
"Censorship of internet infrastructure will inevitably cause network errors and security problems. This is true in China, Iran and other countries that censor the network today; it will be just as true of American censorship."
UK copyright
A group of US politicians is proposing an alternative to Sopa that would see funding cut off to foreign websites accused of copyright infringements in a similar way to how the US ended Wikileaks' commercial operation.
They argue that the International Trade Commission (ITC) should take charge of combating piracy, instead of judges. The ITC would be tasked with reviewing claims of online infringement against foreign website owners, ordering them cut off from funding if the claims prove true.
While the US moves to tighten its copyright laws, the UK is aiming to relax its own.
The Intellectual Property Office has launched a consultation exercise intended, among other things, to allow the ripping of CDs to digital music players.
It follows recommendations from Professor Ian Hargreaves in his review of intellectual property.
Other plans include allowing data mining of scientific research for non-commercial use and a licensing scheme to make it easier for digital services to gain access to copyrighted works. It also proposes relaxing copyright rules around "parody" videos which are increasingly popular on YouTube.
The move was welcomed by the British Library and watchdog Consumer Focus, but The Publishers' Association said it was concerned that the relaxation could make intellectual property theft easier.
The whole thing seems to be based on the idea that people on the internet buy pirated goods.
Although I admit I may be a little biased because this bill is supported by the RIAA, who would support the Gestapo if they thought it would get them some more money to not pay artists with.
EDLT said:
The whole thing seems to be based on the idea that people on the internet buy pirated goods. .
The funny thing is if it was as easy to buy content online as it is to download pirated films etc..I probably would buy it.
But force me to sit through 20 minutes of adverts and crap with a region locked DVD and i'll buy the pirated one as then i get to actually watch the film without some t
t taking over my DVD player thinfourth2 said:
EDLT said:
The whole thing seems to be based on the idea that people on the internet buy pirated goods. .
The funny thing is if it was as easy to buy content online as it is to download pirated films etc..I probably would buy it.
But force me to sit through 20 minutes of adverts and crap with a region locked DVD and i'll buy the pirated one as then i get to actually watch the film without some t
t taking over my DVD player 
Also Disney DVDs show you trailers before you get to the DVD menu FFS.I still firmly believe that things like release dates being staggered beween the US and the rest of the world encourage pirated copies because people don't want to wait for the latest movies when all their online friends are talking about it.
Jasandjules said:
Just means all hosting will be done offshore in places that have no agreements with the US.......!?!?!?
No, they won't be able to access foreign sites with dodgy links (similar to how the censorship works in China) and, being America, the government will try to put pressure on foreign companies to do as it says. 
Tycho said:
thinfourth2 said:
EDLT said:
The whole thing seems to be based on the idea that people on the internet buy pirated goods. .
The funny thing is if it was as easy to buy content online as it is to download pirated films etc..I probably would buy it.
But force me to sit through 20 minutes of adverts and crap with a region locked DVD and i'll buy the pirated one as then i get to actually watch the film without some t
t taking over my DVD player Also Disney DVDs show you trailers before you get to the DVD menu FFS.I still firmly believe that things like release dates being staggered beween the US and the rest of the world encourage pirated copies because people don't want to wait for the latest movies when all their online friends are talking about it.
t wouldn't be on the DVD), half a dozen trailers, a dozen production company splash screens with flying horses and clouds and stupid fking whizzy logos, three disclaimers, a couple of adverts and a protracted menu animation. I've actually sent a couple of DVDs back and got refunds because they didn't let me skip film trailers. fking annoying. Also, if piracy was banned I wonder how much of that money would find its way to the writers, the special effects guys, the crews, rather than just the big-name stars and the production companies.EDLT said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16195344
The whole thing seems to be based on the idea that people on the internet buy pirated goods.
Although I admit I may be a little biased because this bill is supported by the RIAA, who would support the Gestapo if they thought it would get them some more money to not pay artists with.
They do though - there are plenty of websites out there which sell fake computer games for exmaple - like the ones that have multiple games on one cartridge/disc.The whole thing seems to be based on the idea that people on the internet buy pirated goods.
Although I admit I may be a little biased because this bill is supported by the RIAA, who would support the Gestapo if they thought it would get them some more money to not pay artists with.
Mojooo said:
EDLT said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16195344
The whole thing seems to be based on the idea that people on the internet buy pirated goods.
Although I admit I may be a little biased because this bill is supported by the RIAA, who would support the Gestapo if they thought it would get them some more money to not pay artists with.
They do though - there are plenty of websites out there which sell fake computer games for exmaple - like the ones that have multiple games on one cartridge/disc.The whole thing seems to be based on the idea that people on the internet buy pirated goods.
Although I admit I may be a little biased because this bill is supported by the RIAA, who would support the Gestapo if they thought it would get them some more money to not pay artists with.
SC7 said:
"YOU WOULDN'T STEAL A CAR..."
I would if I could download it.
But playing downloaded music in its fine...I would if I could download it.
http://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/news/anti-p...
I think that these industries need to wake up and stop trying to control everything. As has been said above, trailers etc on bought DVDs are very annoying. Also, I think that the companies should stop being so greedy with their pricing.
Wasn't there some research done recently that showed that people who watch/listen to pirated stuff actually buy more? Something to do with a try before you buy. You probably wouldn't expose yourself to a certain band or film if you had to buy it.
Wasn't there some research done recently that showed that people who watch/listen to pirated stuff actually buy more? Something to do with a try before you buy. You probably wouldn't expose yourself to a certain band or film if you had to buy it.
There are various issues with fakes
- people are getting rich (very in some cases) off of counterfeiting
- consumers can be mislead (not everyone buys fakes knowingly)
- some fakes can be dangerous (though not films/games obviously)
Granted most of the above relate to products other than games/DVDs.
The problem in the UK is that it can be VERY hard to close down a website even though it is obviously dodgy. So there has to be a balance somewhere I guess.
- people are getting rich (very in some cases) off of counterfeiting
- consumers can be mislead (not everyone buys fakes knowingly)
- some fakes can be dangerous (though not films/games obviously)
Granted most of the above relate to products other than games/DVDs.
The problem in the UK is that it can be VERY hard to close down a website even though it is obviously dodgy. So there has to be a balance somewhere I guess.
Tycho said:
frosted said:
Have you seen how much an ebook costs now days , nearly the same as the paperback . It's fking stuuupid
That's because you have to pay vat on an ebook and not on a paper book which is ridiculous.king stuuupid Companies need to realise that the market has changed. People want things now, and they'll get it whatever way they can.
A decade ago people would save up to get the latest game, dvd etc. but today people want everything and they want it now.
The game industry is getting the right idea of how to tap into the 'now' market, especially on the iPad/iPhone. You're given the game for free but wait, you want to go to that place? Well that'll be 0.69p please. Want to buy that weapon? That'll be another 0.69p.
The same is happening for xBox and PS3 games. Here is a new release game for £40 and don't forget that in 48 hours we'll be releasing the new maps for just £10.99. In reality the initial cost of the game should be minimal (but I doubt that will happen any time soon!).
I don't particularly like this style of sale but I do think that it is the only way that this market can survive large scale piracy.
A decade ago people would save up to get the latest game, dvd etc. but today people want everything and they want it now.
The game industry is getting the right idea of how to tap into the 'now' market, especially on the iPad/iPhone. You're given the game for free but wait, you want to go to that place? Well that'll be 0.69p please. Want to buy that weapon? That'll be another 0.69p.
The same is happening for xBox and PS3 games. Here is a new release game for £40 and don't forget that in 48 hours we'll be releasing the new maps for just £10.99. In reality the initial cost of the game should be minimal (but I doubt that will happen any time soon!).
I don't particularly like this style of sale but I do think that it is the only way that this market can survive large scale piracy.
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