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News Websites go dark in protest at SOPA, PIPA

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by brumgrunt, 18 Jan 2012.

  1. brumgrunt

    brumgrunt What's a Dremel?

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  2. ajfsound

    ajfsound Minimodder

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    "It seems ridiculous that lawmakers could be looking to hand such control..."

    If it seems so ridiculous to you Bit-Tech why haven't you taken action?
     
  3. Flibblebot

    Flibblebot Smile with me

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    This is a rather massive case of the pot calling the kettle black - what are SOPA & PIPA if not lobby-based legislation from the RIAA & MPAA to further their own members' corporate interests?

    Besides, what, exactly, are the EFF's or Wikipedia's corporate interests? From Google's standpoint, they could run a very real risk of being blacklisted because their automated systems crawl a site containing link to copyrighted information? I'd say that's worth fighting for.

    Is it ironic that the US, a country which spent decades fighting this kind of censorship and information control in the Communist countries, is now considering exactly the thing they were rallying against for so long?
     
  4. The_Beast

    The_Beast I like wood ಠ_ಠ

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    Great, a law that screws over the people so that big business can reign supreme
     
    Last edited: 18 Jan 2012
  5. von_stylon

    von_stylon uber micro

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    hold on why is this site still running today then?
     
  6. ajfsound

    ajfsound Minimodder

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    My thoughts exactly...
     
  7. l3v1ck

    l3v1ck Fueling the world, one oil well at a time.

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    SOPA is a stupid idea. It basically lets people with vested interests be judge, jury and exicutioner. A truely terrible idea.
     
  8. l3v1ck

    l3v1ck Fueling the world, one oil well at a time.

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    If you disable JavaScript, Wikipedia works as normal.
     
  9. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    Because this site is for geeks like us. If it went down, Ordinary Joe Public wouldn't be any the wiser, and couldn't care less.

    The only way the voting public will sit up and take notice is to deprive them of something that they value: to make them realise it is under threat and give them a taste of what it would be like to have to do without. So you black out the sites visited by the larger public: Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, stuff like that.
     
  10. ajfsound

    ajfsound Minimodder

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    @ Nexxo

    I bet there are a tonne of readers who don't know about SOPA & Protect IP and a load more who don't understand the wider consequences. Shutting the site would educate these people and the more people that understand what's going on, the better.

    Also there are voting public that read and value this site, and a whole lot more that can prod friends the other side of the Atlantic.

    Finally I think it would have benefited Bit-Tech's publicly perceived persona, showing they value journalistic responsibility and would have boosted site traffic longer-term.

    And who you calling a geek!? :p
     
  11. GeorgeStorm

    GeorgeStorm Aggressive PC Builder

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    I've personally been slightly disappointed by they way almost all of the sites I know of who have taken part in the 'blackout' seem to being doing it via javascript, and so all you have to do is disable it to access the site without issue :/
    And while some people may say only tech savy people will know that etc, and that's not who the blackout is for, it's all over facebook etc, so the less tech savy people already know a way to get round it.

    Tis a good idea though, and hopefully it actually has an affect.
     
  12. steveo_mcg

    steveo_mcg What's a Dremel?

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    Or you could use Google's cache for wiki... Buts thats not the point its a symbolic gesture.
     
  13. Stewb

    Stewb What's a Dremel?

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    People that don't know about SOPA in the first place probably don't know how to disable javascript ;)

    EDIT: Clearly a massive, sweeping and false generalisation but you get the idea...
     
  14. Silver51

    Silver51 I cast flare!

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    "Won't you gentlemen have a Pepsi?"
     
  15. Waynio

    Waynio Relaxing

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    :hehe: Yeah I thought the same :D.

    Ah yep makes sense :D.
     
  16. Res

    Res What's a Dremel?

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    I have the up most respect for the PC gaming site http://www.rockpapershotgun.com for doing so today, seemingly the only site I frequent other then Wikipedia that took part, which is a shame.
     
  17. Tynecider

    Tynecider Since ZX81

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    This has got everything toi do with censorship and very little (financially profitable) to do with anti piracy.

    If it is indeed all about piracy and lost revenue.....Here's my answer:

    If corporations with vested interests are pushing for this bill, Let it be passed and protest with your wallet.

    DO NOT GO TO MOVIES OR CONCERTS - DO NOT RENT OR BUY MOVIES AND MUSIC - DO NOT SHOP OR VISIT ANYWHERE THAT PROMOTES THE INTERESTS - CHANGE THE TV CHANNEL WHEN AN ADVERT FOR THE INTERESTS COMES ON.


    You get my drift, Remember folks it our money that put these greedy self serving ***** where they are., and its lack of our money that will remove them.

    It stinks no matter what and we should all be concerned. That's you too bit-tech!!!!!
     
  18. Farfalho

    Farfalho Minimodder

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    I'm against PIPA and SOPA and don't mind not using google or other website, when the internet wasn't so developed as it is now, people would do research and business the way it has been done for years, libraries, telephones, mail (not electronic).

    Although BT staff may have PIPA and SOPA protesters, don't forget this is a company and it's up to Dennis Publishing executives to decide wether a BT blackout is in order or not.
     
  19. zatanna

    zatanna What's a Dremel?

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    agreed, and unfortunately, with the exception of wikipedia, major site deprivation is not happening. google, to its credit, has its homepage doodle blacked out in protest, along with appropriate links, but you can still search. facebook, youtube, twitter, no interruption. too much revenue would be lost. i know twitter, at least, has spoken out against both.
     
  20. kzinti1

    kzinti1 What's a Dremel?

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    I've been on-line way too long today. I've yet to run across any site, whatsoever, that was down for anything. I really have no idea what protest you're referring to.
    The bulk of this article is quite valid, save the so-called protest that has yet to be witnessed by me.
    Since bit tech is still going strong today, I can only come to the conclusion that they do not agree with this "protest", and is all for SOPA/PIPA. Unless, of course, you think bit tech is above such things.
     
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