Stopping the Internet Censorship Bill

[Umbreon Dan]

everyone saying "it's no big deal" or "it's just a rumour" needs to read the fucking bill.

section 3, subsection 7:

(7) the term ‘‘Internet site dedicated to infring-
ing activities’’ means an Internet site that—
(A) has no significant use other than en-
gaging in, enabling, or facilitating the—
(i) reproduction, distribution, or pub-
lic performance of copyrighted works, in
complete or substantially complete form, in
a manner that constitutes copyright in-
fringement under section 501 of title 17,
United States Code;
(ii) violation of section 1201 of title
17, United States Code; or
(iii) sale, distribution, or promotion of
goods, services, or materials bearing a
counterfeit mark, as that term is defined
in section 34(d) of the Lanham Act; or
(B) is designed, operated, or marketed by
its operator or persons operating in concert
with the operator, and facts or circumstances
suggest is used, primarily as a means for en-
gaging in, enabling, or facilitating the activities
described under clauses (i), (ii), or (iii) of sub-
paragraph (A);

any site that is used for or facilitates distributing copyrighted material is at risk here. any website with user-generated content is going to have to approve every upload or simply shut down, and that definitely includes youtube.

 

[Curtains]

everyone saying "it's no big deal" or "it's just a rumour" needs to read the fucking bill.

section 3, subsection 7:



any site that is used for or facilitates distributing copyrighted material is at risk here. any website with user-generated content is going to have to approve every upload or simply shut down, and that definitely includes youtube.

They already do that. Thats just reversing the process. Even if this gets passed (which it wont 1:10000000) it wont be the end of the world. Trust me that this wont get passed. These corporations (google etc) run the government they wont let this interfere with stuff like youtube. This is an over exaggerated bill that hasn't got off the ground yet but just because its on 4chan people are getting up and arms about it. You guys do this shit with ever "bill" and nothing happens.

 

[Umbreon Dan]

These corporations (google etc) run the government they wont let this interfere with stuff like youtube.

are you serious? it's the media recording corporations that got this bill legislated in the first fucking place.

google probably won't even fight this bill. youtube is a net loss for them. they don't have any reason to care.

it won't get passed, huh? well the recording agencies recently got copyright laws extended by 20 years in europe, when they were already a ludicrous 50 years. and that's europe, where the politicians are usually far less insane than in the usa.

but you know what? if you're not worried, do what you want. i hope you don't value free information too highly.

 

[ungulateman]

what

I knew American politics was insane and stupid but this is worse than Australia's censorship / IP protection laws they were thinking about

 

[Veedrock]

Hindering illegal activities = censorship.

INSANE.

 

[FlareBlitz]

Hindering illegal activities = censorship.

INSANE.

You're totally right. Next, we should let the government lock you out of your house if a corporation accuses you of shoplifting (even with no proof), and you won't be able to get back in until you prove that you didn't steal anything. I mean, it hinders illegal activities, so it's okay, right?

 

[Alan]

Hindering illegal activities = censorship.

INSANE.

It's not just the illegal activities that will be censored though. It's the perfectly legal activities that will be censored as well.

 

[Tomahawk]

huh what the hell im not sure if this has do with it (i live in netherlands) but i just wanted to listen some songs on youtube and none of them i could listen, they were all removed by the user. its really weird, no more tinie tempah on the whole youtube :(

 

[jumpluff]

huh what the hell im not sure if this has do with it (i live in netherlands) but i just wanted to listen some songs on youtube and none of them i could listen, they were all removed by the user. its really weird, no more tinie tempah on the whole youtube :(

I searched through YouTube and his music videos are still on the official Parlophone (record label) channel. Most likely the videos were taken down because they were marked for copyright infringement, which isn't a new thing at all. Videos have been taken down for copyright infringement for years.

 

[Tomahawk]

I searched through YouTube and his music videos are still on the official Parlophone (record label) channel. Most likely the videos were taken down because they were marked for copyright infringement, which isn't a new thing at all. Videos have been taken down for copyright infringement for years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgFyi74DVjc taken down by the user.

and it wasnt just tinie tempah, but okay

 

[jumpluff]

Oh, I still see that. I know a lot of videos aren't available in Germany because of copyright stuff, so maybe the same thing is going on here?

 

[capefeather]

OK, let me clarify that I did not say that the bill was not a big deal. The wording of the bill is incredible and there's no way that people who've read it should support it. What I'm saying is that actually shutting down user-created-content sites is going to be an extremely hard sell because shutting down anything like YouTube or Tumblr is not going to go down quietly. So yes, it's a big deal, but it's not like the U.S. is going to become China if this passes.

btw tell your member of Congress to vote against this or at least READ it...

Also I will point out that

(A) has no significant use other than en-
gaging in, enabling, or facilitating the—
(i) reproduction, distribution, or pub-
lic performance of copyrighted works, in
complete or substantially complete form,

means to me that there probably will be, at worst, a LOT of foot dragging involving attempts to shut down something like Twitter. However, it still could be a very big deal for borderline sites like romhacking.net and emulator websites, whose purpose can be easily misinterpreted.

 

[Stagnant]

I could only imagine the lobbyist Google is funding to shut this bill down.

 

[Alan]

I could only imagine the lobbyist Google is funding to shut this bill down.

Google probably doesn't even care. To be honest. They probably receive more revenue from their searches and other investments made than YouTube on any given day. With the Google phone out now too, they probably don't even need YouTube.

Also, I just wanted to point out to everyone saying "<part of the bill> doesn't strictly mean blocking <website or websites similar to>" it doesn't have to. I think we can all find examples in the current or past where the U.S. Government has made laws enforce something they don't pertain to.

I haven't been following this at all, but did they ever come to a conclusion on the hearing or is it still ongoing? And why isn't this all over the news? It seems like it's only on websites.

 

[Lucalibur]

it appears the US gourvey tried to stop this from going on the news. its still ongoing from the info i got however and that is why the petitions are still going.

 

[Lesser Smaug]

any site that is used for or facilitates distributing copyrighted material is at risk here. any website with user-generated content is going to have to approve every upload or simply shut down, and that definitely includes youtube.

Does that include Smogon itself?

 

[Steamroll]

Just saying this for a bit of insight. If we get rumors about Generation 6 and we post information about it on these forums. Both Gamefreak and Nintendo can have Smogon shut down because we posted information violating Copyrights.

This goes the same for other forums I frequent (mainly roller coaster forums). I can get one of my forums shut down for posting a picture I took myself at a park just because the park has beef against me. It also works the same with youtube because someone can clone a music video and post it on their own channel and the record company can get youtube shut down because it violates this bill.

It really is an unfair bill because pretty much any website can go under fire because some company has a bug up its ass.

 

[capefeather]

Yeah, I think we all agree that the bill is retarded. I have no idea of how this is going to be enforced without making the overall benefit negligible while threatening the safety of users who try to get onto the "actual internet" (which would be pretty easy). All so some movies and games generate a little more profit.

 

[Steamroll]

I can see the bill being supported to crack down on pirating but right now it isn't the case; pretty much everything is under fire including smogon.

 

[iDunno]

Yeah, I think we all agree that the bill is retarded. I have no idea of how this is going to be enforced without making the overall benefit negligible while threatening the safety of users who try to get onto the "actual internet" (which would be pretty easy). All so some movies and games generate a little more profit.

the bill puts the legal responsibility on the site administrators, so if there is copyright material on the site it will be shut down. It's easier for the justice system to track down sites than individual users. This will cause the site owners to regulate the material themselves and effectively are forced censor anything that might get them in trouble.

 

[Umbreon Dan]

if this bill passes, all of the participants in smogon karaoke could get up to five years in prison - and yes, those contests are more than enough to get smogon blocked.

 

[Ryfle]

9-11 was an inside job

 

[Curtains]

This is just a bill created by 7-8 old men and women to waste time and divert teens that actually believe this shit will happen from the real issues. This isnt going anywhere and its just becoming news so people on youtube and other sites can make money off of non issues that teens think will kill there only form of communication to other people. Look at it from the outside in. This is stupid and will not get through all the people in washington.

 

[Veedrock]

Just saying this for a bit of insight. If we get rumors about Generation 6 and we post information about it on these forums. Both Gamefreak and Nintendo can have Smogon shut down because we posted information violating Copyrights.

Nintendo can already do this. This bill isn't giving enabling them to do anything they aren't already permitted to do. They already flexed their legal capabilities Serebii and EDIT-Pokebeach (thanks Lesser Smaug) when the Gen 5 sprites got leaked and forced them to pull the info; they very well could have made a lawsuit over the matter and forced the websites down completely but took the high road.

if this bill passes, all of the participants in smogon karaoke could get up to five years in prison - and yes, those contests are more than enough to get smogon blocked.

This bill doesn't make anything illegal that isn't already illegal. If karaoke participants go to prison (which they won't), it won't be because of this bill. Your post is completely off base, and the only reason to bring it up would be to cause more panic and confusion (which you've done a fine job of doing).

And no, those contests are NOT enough to get Smogon blocked (read on).

===
Now I'm not a legal magician or an expert on reading bills, but taken directly from the bill:

SEC. 3. ENHANCING ENFORCEMENT AGAINST ROGUE
WEBSITES OPERATED AND REGISTERED
OVERSEAS.

(a) COMMENCEMENT OF AN ACTION.—
(1) IN PERSONAM.—The Attorney General may
commence an in personam action against—

• (A) a registrant of a nondomestic domain name used by an Internet site dedicated to infringing activities; or

• (B) an owner or operator of an Internet site dedicated to infringing activities accessed through a nondomestic domain name

What this is telling me:

1) This bill very specifically targets "nondomestic sites;" this means the Department of Justice already has this power over US based websites. Nothing new will occur with them.

2) It very VERY specifically states it only targets websites "dedicated to infringing activities." And Umbreon Dan posted the their definition for the label and still decided to misinterpret it to instill fear. Let me repost it, WITHOUT a paranoid recap at the end.

(7) the term ‘‘Internet site dedicated to infringing activities’’ means an Internet site that—

• (A) has no significant use other than engaging in, enabling, or facilitating the—
  • (i) reproduction, distribution, or public performance of copyrighted works, in complete or substantially complete form, in a manner that constitutes copyright infringement under section 501 of title 17, United States Code;
  • (ii) violation of section 1201 of title 17, United States Code; or
  • (iii) sale, distribution, or promotion of goods, services, or materials bearing a counterfeit mark, as that term is defined in section 34(d) of the Lanham Act; or

• (B) is designed, operated, or marketed by its operator or persons operating in concert with the operator, and facts or circumstances suggest is used, primarily as a means for engaging in, enabling, or facilitating the activities described under clauses (i), (ii), or (iii) of subparagraph (A);

No recap, read it exactly as it is. Now with this in mind, does anyone here want to tell me that Smogon has no significant use beyond enabling piracy? Anybody??

===
Until somebody can explain to me what is so terrible about the above points WITHOUT the doomsday end-of-existence exaggeration, I refuse to sign any kind of petition of opposition. Blind following of paranoia and propaganda is for radical tea party fanatics. I'm not saying I necessarily support the bill (as there are actually valid, logical reasons this bill could be bad) but there sure as hell hasn't been a valid reason to oppose it mentioned in this thread: only terrible, blatantly wrong misinterpretations and paranoia.

 

[Nonary Game]

I'm against this law in it's current form for good reason. I think I'm a bit more qualified to discuss how this law is shitty simply by virtue that I have a bachelor's in Computer Science with a minor in Networking and Internet/Web tech. I don't quite have the specifics on me, but how they'd handle this would muck with the very basic design of the internet, and in a terrible way.

In short, they're fucking stupid for trying to push this law through. When you have the lobbyists claiming that it protects soldiers, as insane of troll logic as it is...

Add on the fact that Congress currently has something like a 9% approval rate, the heads of the corrupt corporations pushing this law needs to be brutally murdered in cold blood, and slowly. They're everything that's wrong with the current system. I'd prefer that the career politicians who abuse the system be culled as well, but that's for another topic. I'd rather see that kind of scum EXECUTED.

And as for how the blocking would work, it's quite simple. They'll fuck up how DNS works, causing stupid amounts of damage for all the wrong reasons. I have more to say, but I'm tired.