The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act passed last Thursday. A couple sites already feeling the heat.

by miseryloveselders 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  miseryloveselders

  http://www.ballerstatus.com/2010/11/26/congress-passes-web-censorship-bill-two-hip-hop-sites-shut-down/

  I remember vaguely hearing about this bill, but I forgot about it. Apparently it passed, and a couple hip hop forums I've frequented in times past already got raided due to illegal file sharing. Yesterday, if you went to Rapgodfathers and Onsmash, both dot-coms respectively, a message appeared stating, "This domain has been seized by ICE-Homeland Security Investigations." This could get interesting.

  I'm wondering how it could potentially play out in the online world of undercover JW apostacy? You think its beyond the WT to work with the Wild Beast when it comes to WT Literature such as the Flock books ending up on sites like this? Or can you see the WT justifying using this law to root out undercover apostates within its ranks?
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  pirata

  The admins have been pretty diligent here about removing links to copyrighted materials. Were the sites you mentioned also doing their due diligence?
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  Aussie Oz

  i dont think the WT would even blink before using this act to stop file sharing

  that said, those sites are both about music, and a lot of artist profits get lost through file sharing and illegal downloads...

  fuck all money gets lost by the Watchtower Corp stuff being shared, they have an interest in secrecy...

  but like i said, that wont the legal eagles strying it on.

  oz
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  miseryloveselders

  Hey Pirata, those sites promoted leaked albums to be downloaded before they even were released at retail. Maybe I should rephrase that to, the administrators on those sites turned a blind eye to what they're forum users were doing.

  Hey Aussie, you're right, I don't think the WT is concerned about profit so much, as much as they're concerned about secrecy. Not just secrecy though, I wonder how paranoid and totalitarian the WT is? Are they capable of getting down and dirty enough to use this law to find out who's who in the undercover apostate community? I'll tell you the Feds going after those two hip hop sites sent some shockwaves through the file sharing community. I wonder how far this is capable of going.
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  carvin

  I do find it interesting that the WT says there book/mags etc are free and that the distribution of them counts as charitable works. So if other sites distribute them for free, as their slaves do, why would it matter to them. They are reaching a much wider audience. Also if their message is so irrefutable would it not cause a large influx of converts to their org? - Yes, I'm being sarcastic
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  donuthole

  The web censorship bill (COICA) merely was passed by the Senate judiciary committee. It hasn't gone to a full congregational vote nor has it been signed into law by the president. It isn't a law yet.

  I don't know what legal authority the Immigration & Customs Enforcement devision of the Department of Homeland Security is working under in the matter. Was there a warrant? A court order? Why is Homeland Security spending time and resources targeting file sharing websites? Why are the biggest file-sharing web-sites still online? Maybe DHS simply testing their limits are on small-fry web sites before moving up to bigger targets like Wikileaks.

  Lots of questions about this one.

  Update: I did some research and it seems that the DHS is operating under the DMCA on this one. The question is raised though, if the DHS already has censorship authority under the DMCA why is COICA even needed?