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SOPA on the ropes
16 Dec 2011 18:29As you might recall, a few weeks ago I heard about a bill going through Congress called the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA for short. Proponents said it was needed to stop the online theft of intellectual property such as movies and music, amongst other things. Opponents said it basically amounted to the Great Firewall of China.
After reading through it, I found myself strongly against it for one simple reason: as written it violates the most fundamental and basic premise of the US legal system, the presumption of innocence and proof of guilt. To me, it appears that under SOPA a website would only have to be accused of piracy, and all internet and monetary traffic to it could be cut off..for an online business, that's a death sentence.
Swap "piracy" with "witchcraft" in that summation, and it's Salem Witch Trials 2.0.
In any case, the House was set to vote on it today (or yesterday, one of the two), but it seems that, due to the rather sizable harangue it's been causing, they weren't able to get around to it before the holiday break. As such, voting on it has been tabled for an indefinite period of time.
...Oh, and since I bring ponies up, finished another scene on HAL earlier. Trying to come up with a replacement for another one, though, due to the video footage I wanted to use not lasting nearly long enough.
Sorry Tank.
After reading through it, I found myself strongly against it for one simple reason: as written it violates the most fundamental and basic premise of the US legal system, the presumption of innocence and proof of guilt. To me, it appears that under SOPA a website would only have to be accused of piracy, and all internet and monetary traffic to it could be cut off..for an online business, that's a death sentence.
Swap "piracy" with "witchcraft" in that summation, and it's Salem Witch Trials 2.0.
In any case, the House was set to vote on it today (or yesterday, one of the two), but it seems that, due to the rather sizable harangue it's been causing, they weren't able to get around to it before the holiday break. As such, voting on it has been tabled for an indefinite period of time.
...Oh, and since I bring ponies up, finished another scene on HAL earlier. Trying to come up with a replacement for another one, though, due to the video footage I wanted to use not lasting nearly long enough.
Sorry Tank.