Confused by the Stop Online Piracy Act? Here’s ‘SOPA For Dummies’

The Presidentz

not really.. stealing a physical disc would cost money, them saying they "lose" money from a pure digitial copy is why i agree with people stealing/pirating

The Presidentz

i wouldnt be such an advocate if they didnt put a monetary value on it the way they do

stevemcqueen The rebel without a cause makes a good point about bloggers: full of junk, half-truths, trolls, lies, propaganda, fear mongering, and misdirection. Sort of like the few major newspapers of excellence that are barely surviving in the US. When I compare the NYTs front page of today to twenty years ago, it looks like People magazine.

I have gone over the SOPA in its current form,and just like the so called “Patriot Act” it’s all in the definition, interpretation and application of the nomenclature. Unless you believe that corporations “own” the ideas they ‘buy’, creating a monopoly, or you “own” your residence, while paying a bank a monthly mortgage, maintaining their home, insuring it, etc., you would think that SOPA makes infinite sense. Just as much sense as all the homeowners who were tossed out of their homes by the banks. Surprise.

Ultimately, why do we need SOPA? With the ability to close down any website the DOJ deems in violation, and a Supreme Court that thinks corporations are people, who will benefit from SOPA? That’s the question we should be asking. If this site, or Daily Kos, or Dissent are understood by the clowns in power in this country to be ‘dedicated’ to the commission of crime, without indictment and trial, will use this bill, if passed, to silence any threat against their ever increasing power.

In the absence of a clear and dangerous threat to the commonwealth arrest for thought crimes are around the corner, this discussion would be suspect, and this site could be shut down until some determination by someone in DOJ makes a

call. Re-read ‘1984.’

There are mindless drones on the web, to be sure. That doesn’t make SOPA any less of a threat to our few remaining civil liberties. There are infinite futures, but only one history. Look at its trend since 1980: a steady expansion of the power of a very few, the more powerful the oligarchs become, the more entrenched they become.

If you are going to be a rebel, have a cause.

Well written Adin. And thoughtful. Unfortunately, I can't agree with your conspiratorial premise.

I once again question whether you actually read the bill. It isn't ambiguous at all, and clearly states who would be targeted for prosecution. There is no reasoned expectation for "definition, interpretation and application of the nomenclature".

The intention of the bill is not to place liberties in jeopardy; in fact it does just the opposite. It protects consumers as much as it protects innovators, artists, entrepreneurs, and businesses. Consider that my cause.

An example: I bought my niece UGG boots from a website (Chinese store hosted on US servers). Unfortunately, the boots were counterfeit - both my niece and I were victims. The hosting company was notified, but did nothing. SOPA would have allowed the DOJ to shut down this hosting company, not because they hosted the criminal enterprise's website; nor because they didn't take proactive measures to insure that the website was legitimate; BUT because they intentionally disregarded evidence that their customer was committing a crime, and continued to aid this activity knowingly. This is no different from current laws that protect the liberties that you say you cherish.

It is fashionable among the young, to find a cause to champion - to rally with masses, attack the "established" (to me that means average, hard working people), and beat the drums of righteousness. It's just unfortunate that this more often than not, means ignoring facts, disseminating falsehoods, and ..... impairing the liberties of others that disagree with you.

stevemcqueen UGGs? Are you serious? Yeah, some dispute with an on line retailer is important. In the meantime while you are whining about UGGs, big pharma is monoplozing and driving up the cost of medicine to the point where health care will solely be within the providence of the wealthy, as employers and employees can no longer obtain health care. We are willing to trade barrels of oil for rivers of blood in a war with Iran. You need a new pair of UGGs like you need another pencil. SOPA is just one manifestation that adds to the increasing wealth disparity. You really think DOJ cares about your little UGGs? I don’t cherish any liberties. I assert my own liberty and pay the price. This country had laws that made human beings property, that denied women the right to vote, we signed treaties and contracts with native Americans, that were unilaterally negated when we decided that greed would trump honesty. Property rights, intellectual rights, it’s all a racket to transfer wealth and power to the gangs of thugs who live inside their bubbles. But, like all the self-absorbed arrogant clowns out there, end up like Mussolini, hung upside down by the heals in a gas station, like pieces of meat with eyes.

I said I read the bill as introduced, yet you call me a liar. You should be careful about that, Slim. You walk on thin ice when you think you can hide behind an anonymous screen name and imply I am a liar. It’s the mark of a coward. I’ve wasted too much time on you and you UGGs, twinkle toes.

stevemcqueen hey jackass for those of us taht make a living with online business SOPA would kill us. With any ecommerce site out there that has comp on and off usa soil would be stomped out overnight. All our competitors would need to do is file BS claims and we are done. There is nothing positive about SOPA so don't try and give any positive support. WTF is wrong with you?

sopasucksstevemcqueen If I could understand what you are saying, I’ll play close attention. I’ve been wrong more often than I’ve been right. So drop the name calling, and clarify for me how your e-com business would be “stomped out overnight? What kind of claims? How would you be “done“? Why aren’t your competitors wiped out by the same strategy that you describe? The real big boys don’t need SOPA to do that. That’s only part of the reason for SOPA: to keep the big boys big, to ensure they can wipe out competition. As I said earlier, it’s the application, nomenclature, and lack of judicial oversight that has allowed the “Patriot Act” to give the authority to suspend habeas corpus at the whim of the president, any president. SOPA falls into the exact same category of law. I wonder how a Pres Gingrich would use SOPA and the Patriot Act. I don’t expect anyone to be able to see into the distant future, but all this can happen in weeks

stevemcqueen doesnt take but 1 link for these greedy companies to consider a site "dedicated" tard...

The real issue is in intellectual property rights. When what is copied online, without remuneration to the creator of said property, may be downloaded as a perfect digital copy over and over, you remove a key part to the "risk / reward" feature individuals and companies engage in when creating that property.

Bluntly, no one pays for a cr*p product and no one works for free. If I make something of value and people want it, I have the right to ask and deserve to be paid for it.

SOPA goes too far and in the wrong direction.

Matthew Nachazel

Intellectual property rights are a false construct designed to create new law in order to control, seize and profit from things that cannot be owned. Can you really on an idea?

It is the same ploy as ‘property rights.’ How many people who thought they ‘owned’ their homes, had residences seized by the banks? They found out very quickly who ‘the law,’ created by and for the wealthy, ‘owned’ their residence.

Rent, lease, but never buy. You are only making it easy for the banks to rob you. The tax incentives associated with home ownership, are off set by the cost you pay every day to protect the investment of the banks. Wake up and educate yourself, God’s sake.

marco3xMatthew Nachazel

Guys, this debate can be summarized even simpler: We would probably not even have this "conversation" if SOPA is passed. Anything can be passed as being piracy, even the fact that you post a link to an article which happens to have another link to a download site. SOPA is dangerous and infringes not only liberty of speech, but liberty as a whole. The circle is shrinking ...

Jonathan Lulichchristina lulichjacob gabriel This bill is designed more for the government to control what is said about them than to stop any piracy. The piracy issue is just the trojan horse they are using. This is where they are exposed now on the internet. And they are intimidating ISPs and domain companies to support them. They know well what they are doing. They read this well believe me.