The SOPA and PIPA plague continues.
Did you all see that Wikipedia is “blocked” today?
UPDATE:
I used that page (above) and called the offices of my representative and both senators.
I suggest that you take less than five minutes to call your representative and senators.
This is not only about Wikipedia.
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Children the world over will now have to do their own homework tonight.
HORRORS!
Add “?banner=none” minus the ” ” to the end of the wikipedia URL to bypass.
It’s only English Wikipedia which is blacked out. The Latin one’s still merrily chugging away:
http://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagina_prima
In fact I can still get at English Wikipedia via my risibly outdated version of Firefox (v.3.0.19) which somehow impedes redirection to the blackout page illustrated above.
Nah, the other language versions are still available. I wanted to look up some info on Bp Anasthasius Schneider, and the German wikipedia got that too.
Anyway, it’s my understanding that the House shot down their version, so what realistic chance is there of the Senate one making it? Not that applying some pressure wouldn’t help, but I think the far greater danger is coming from the judiciary. Here in the Netherlands, ISPs have been ordered to block access to certain sites already (the pirate bay, most notably) by judges who think ISPs should enforce copyright laws. No doubt many of their brethren all over the world would issue similar rulings, if given half a chance.
Especially interesting – and ludicrous – would be the case of Sweden, where download-freaks have applied for and have been granted recognition as a religion… something that even the Anglicans with all their antics couldn’t have imagined, I guess.
Wikipedia still works in English on my Andrioid phone. And yes, I am in the USA.
The English works as well, if you press the Esc key as the page is loading. It takes some good timing, but I’ve been using it most of the day.
Yes, it works on mobile versions and smartphone apps, and if you disable Javascript. There are a few other ways around it. The point was to make people pause for a moment and think about what SOPA/PIPA could do. Google has a pretty succinct explanation if you click on their blacked-out logo today.
The website for my US senators is down. hmmm
Less SOPA/PIPA and more Sopapillas I say!
One day, the Land of the Free will actually outlaw freedom, altogether, declaring it an infringement of our rights. And we’ll buy it, too.
“Less SOPA/PIPA and more Sopapillas I say!”
I like the way you think.
One representative, one senator contacted. The other senator’s website isn’t working (big, big surprise…)
These bills will make some bloggers inoperative. This bill is not merely going to make Wiki into a public search engine, which it is not, and thereby causing expenses to rise, but will curtail many charitable sites on the Internet. As I understand it, laws are already in place for the real pirates of music and books, etc. This is dead serious…
My Congressman and both Senators are and have been opposed, so that lets me off hook.
I doubt if it will do much good in my case… My rep, Lamar Smith (R-TX21) is the author of SOPA :^)
Yes the Esc key works well…
?? Wait a minute!!?? does using Esc constitute a passive act of piracy!?
Thank You Fr. Z for posting this link. I did take the time to call all three of our representatives. I hope and pray that our freedoms in the country can survive. Pax Christi +
Can you explain why you all oppose these bills? I just read the Wall Street Journal editorial in support of them, and according the them, it is all about stopping “rogue” websites from stealing and selling copyright protected music and videos. It is about “intellectual property rights.”
So what would it do which you all disagree with? I am just asking to get the other point of view from the one I just read.
Susan Peterson
The problem is that anybody can complain about my website supposedly having pirated material, and without warning or a chance to defend myself, my website will be blocked from everyone. No chance to argue fair use, no excuse for linking, etc, etc. And since pretty much everybody who’s been on the Internet long enough (as a content provider) has gotten a cease and desist letter or some kind of corporate threat (often totally mistaken), pretty much everybody is scared. No ISP could afford to sell anyone a webpage. YouTube would have to shut down.
It’s nothing but an excuse to kill the Internet.
They’re also talking about blocking other countries where certain things have gone out of copyright which are still copyrighted here, and similarly ludicrous stuff. (Yeah, ban everything in Australia and Canada, that’ll be a good plan.)
There’s also a lot of other vague, grabby provisions about the government having the power to shut down “inappropriate” websites or websites which “promote piracy” even though they contain nothing illegal. There are provisions to prosecute you for perjury if you ever fill out any online or social media form with fiction instead of fact. (For example, my handle. Or if I say I weigh 200 pounds and it turns out I weigh 201. Or any funny or sarcastic information I’ve ever provided.) The little Photoshop pictures that Fr. Z posts would be illegal, too.
It just goes on and on with the crazy pumped-up powers.
SOPA has been delayed, but PIPA (the Senate bill) is still chugging along.
Oh, and of course pretty much any fannish activity or joke or discussion is pretty much illegal. Never mind that Star Trek fans essentially built the Internet.
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