The internet may be dead soon.

by Knowsnothing 5 Replies latest social current

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  Knowsnothing

  http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/English_Wikipedia_anti-SOPA_blackout

  Today, the Wikipedia community announced its decision to black out the English-language Wikipedia for 24 hours, worldwide, beginning at 05:00 UTC on Wednesday, January 18 (you can read statement from the Wikimedia Foundation here). The blackout is a protest against proposed legislation in the United States —the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the PROTECTIP Act (PIPA) in the U.S. Senate— that, if passed, would seriously damage the free and open Internet, including Wikipedia.

  This will be the first time the English Wikipedia has ever staged a public protest of this nature, and it’s a decision that wasn’t lightly made. Here’s how it’s been described by the three Wikipedia administrators who formally facilitated the community’s discussion.
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  ABibleStudent

  Thank Knowsnothing for this thread. I wrote to my USA representatives the following email. It helped to have the links in this thread and in wikipedia to locate the bill(s).

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert

  Email to my Representative -

  I respectfully request that you do not support, nor vote for H.R.3261.IH, "Stop Online Piracy Act", because it puts burdensome demands on some businesses for the benefit of other businesses. Why should internet companies that provide search engine or advertizing services be forced to pay for piracy protection measures that benefit companies that profit from selling music, pictures, and literature?

  Companies that profit from selling music, pictures, and literature should pay for developing and implementating anti-piracy technologies and not lobby the Federal government to force other companies to pay to protect their interests.

  Respectfully,
  Robert
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  ohiocowboy

  Great job Knowsnothing and abiblestudent!!!

  I am surprised that there is only one response so far. This is very important! A lot of popular websites will be going offline tonight at midnight in protest of the SOPA snd PIPA act. If you value the internet and want to see it continue as a bastion of free speech for all, please support those who are trying to do something about it, and by all means tell others and call or write any congress people you can, telling them that you value free speech and that you will not stand for the SOPA and PIPA act.

  If you would prefer a Government controlled internet, a Government who will decide what websites you can visit and shut down any others, then by all means do nothing.

  This is very serious. This is not fear mongering. This is something evil that is coming our way. If you value freedom, fight for our rights!!!
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  d

  This is good that people are finally standing up.
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  ohiocowboy

  It has begun!!! Thousands of websites are now down for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. Here is a list of many of those websites who value our freedom enough to do a blackout to make others aware of what is happening.

  List
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  Knowsnothing

  Can you imagine websites like Google getting shut down because they have merely 1 piracy breach?

  The effects would be devastating. On Google, you can sign a petition. Just click on the censor bar.