Help fight internet censorship and SOPA!

Mircea Lobo · December 3, 2011

It seems that this is the General section of the forum for both Second Life and Real Life. If this is in the wrong area, I'm sorry and please move it.

Every few years, the internet has to deal with a greedy politician or corporation trying to censor it, in the hope of obtaining more money. Now it's that time again. Some guys are begging for the internet to be policed, with a new bill called SOPA. Many users are worried because several countries are showing signs of accepting it. I doubt it will pass, but it's never the less important for everyone who is against this to oppose that movement. It's a very dangerous initiative, that can even allow bringing websites down for very interpretable reasons!

Mozilla has a site specifically for this, where you can sign a petition. http://www.mozilla.org/sopa/ Apparently, that's an US only page, and will only work with American ZIP codes. If someone outside of America still wishes to sign it though, you can use a fake ZIP. I found several on this [url=http://www.city-data.com/zipDir.html]web page[/url]. More info can be found on google... just look up SOPA.

I know this sort of thing gets old and annoying, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. If you don't agree with the internet being censored, please sign that and any anti-SOPA petitions on the internet, and tell everyone who might be interested about this (or spread the news around in other places however you can). Thank you.

Ceka Cianci · December 3, 2011

Mircea Lobo wrote:

It seems that this is the General section of the forum for both Second Life and Real Life. If this is in the wrong area, I'm sorry and please move it.

Every few years, the internet has to deal with a greedy politician or corporation trying to censor it, in the hope of obtaining more money. Now it's that time again. Some guys are begging for the internet to be policed, with a new bill called SOPA. Many users are worried because several countries are showing signs of accepting it. I doubt it will pass, but it's never the less important for everyone who is against this to oppose that movement. It's a very dangerous initiative, that can even allow bringing websites down for very interpretable reasons!

Mozilla has a site specifically for this, where you can sign a petition.

http://www.mozilla.org/sopa/

Apparently, that's an US only page, and will only work with American ZIP codes. If someone outside of America still wishes to sign it though, you can use a fake ZIP. I found several on this

http://www.city-data.com/zipDir.html]web

page. More info can be found on google... just look up SOPA.

I know this sort of thing gets old and annoying, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. If you don't agree with the internet being censored, please sign that and any anti-SOPA petitions on the internet, and tell everyone who might be interested about this (or spread the news around in other places however you can). Thank you.

page 2 of this very forum there is another thread that you may wish to read as well just to see how things went hehehe =) *winks*

I don't think it will pass myself..but that's just my opinion hehehe

http://community.secondlife.com/t5/General-Discussion-Forum/Why-aren-t-Second-Lifers-supporting-SOPA/td-p/1239917

Mircea Lobo · December 3, 2011

Thanks for linking that, replied there too. And yeah, I don't think it will pass either, and truly hope it won't.

Peggy Paperdoll · December 3, 2011

Using a fake zip code, even by a single petition signer, de-legitamizes the entire petition. If the sponsors of this petition are endorsing such a tactic then it's one petition I don't want to participate in. And that's from a person who, almost militantly opposes Internet censorship.

Sorry, I will not sign any petition that endorses gaining enough signatures to make it "legitamate" through false tactics. That is as bad, if not worse, than censoring the Internet. Fight the efforts of the people who want to censor us......but fight fair. Otherwise you are on the same level as they are.

Lynda Baran · December 4, 2011

I've already written both of my Senators and My Congressman urging them to vote against SOPA. But if only seven Senators (unfortunately neither of mine) were willing to vote against giving Uncle Barry the ability to suspend Habeas Corpus in the name of the "War on Terrorism", what do you think the odds are of them voting against SOPA no matter what their employers want? I only hope the House has the guts to vote it down.

Ceka Cianci · December 4, 2011

Lynda Baran wrote:

I've already written both of my Senators and My Congressman urging them to vote against SOPA. But if only seven Senators (unfortunately neither of mine) were willing to vote against giving Uncle Barry the ability to suspend Habeas Corpus in the name of the "War on Terrorism", what do you think the odds are of them voting against SOPA no matter what their employers want? I only hope the House has the guts to vote it down.

it being an election year very soon and enough making those calls to cause alarm may put a halt on it..

it's the best time ever for it to be where it is at..because they are really gonna be looking hard at what the american people would really be voting for on this..

americans are worn out with corporations and the government holding hands..they better find the guts to side with the public this time if they want to keep their jobs..becase we will fire them shortly after if they don't. hehehehe *winks*

Peggy Paperdoll · December 4, 2011

One can only hope what you say is true. However, the American public, in recent years, has shown itself to be somewhat lazy when it comes to actually educating themselves on the specifics of any legislation being put forth by the Congress. It's easier to just watch that 30 minute newscast each evening at 6:30 and think they have enough information to vote intelligently. 30 years ago that may have been enough....unfortunately, that's no longer true. You have to dig for the facts because the press won't tell you anything they don't think is important or goes against what they believe is best. One thing Obama said that is true a few weeks ago..........the Americans are getting lazy (actually we've been lazy for years already). Maybe, just maybe, this last couple years of turmol among the public about the government is enough to turn that trend around.......we can only hope so. I'm not sure we can wait for the next major election cycle to come around.....it's almost too late already.

Randall Ahren · December 4, 2011

People are lazy because it's an evolutionary advantage. It's called conserving energy for stuff that really matters from the perspective of natural selection. Nothing matters more than propagating your genetic material into the next generation. Those that weren't properly motivated failed to leave descendants and were eliminated from the gene pool. So basically what we have today is a lot of lazy people who are only aroused by the prospect of sex.

Peggy Paperdoll · December 4, 2011

But I don't want to have to ask pappa Obama if I can have sex and to be told, "yeah, but you have to let Barney Frank pick my partner"!!!:smileysurprised:

Ceka Cianci · December 4, 2011

Peggy Paperdoll wrote:

One can only hope what you say is true. However, the American public, in recent years, has shown itself to be somewhat lazy when it comes to actually educating themselves on the specifics of any legislation being put forth by the Congress. It's easier to just watch that 30 minute newscast each evening at 6:30 and think they have enough information to vote intelligently. 30 years ago that may have been enough....unfortunately, that's no longer true. You have to dig for the facts because the press won't tell you anything they don't think is important or goes against what they believe is best. One thing Obama said that is true a few weeks ago..........the Americans are getting lazy (actually we've been lazy for years already). Maybe, just maybe, this last couple years of turmol among the public about the government is enough to turn that trend around.......we can only hope so. I'm not sure we can wait for the next major election cycle to come around.....it's almost too late already.

more people now than ever are on the internet in more ways than they were in 2008 when the housing market crashed and they passed this bailout..

more lines of communication between the public are open now..almost everyone has a facebook or some group on the net of some kind..TV is going out of style and replaced with cellphones and pocket computers and laptops and desktops ect connecting them to this highway of information we are all riding now..

they may be lazy as far as the TV news goes..but they are hearing more information than they were only 4 years ago..and that news they get here on the net comes with opinions rather than just some reporter blowing smoke up butts..

we get a wider perspective of both sides nowdays more than ever..

i'm hoping they are lazy and only getting 30 minutes of news from the tv and then getting back on the net for two sides of the story hehehe *winks*

just tell them their youtube will not be so easily to link anymore without fear of violation and i'm sure that would set a good example that just about anyone can relate to heheheh

Lynda Baran · December 4, 2011

Unfortunately I find it very disheartening when, poll after poll shows that although people are repulsed by what the Congress is doing. They always say they think their Senators and Representatives are doing a good job. It appears they aren't willing to change things enough to make a difference. What we need, short of a viable Third Party to shake things up, is a complete house cleaning.

Though I don't teach Poli-Sci, in dead time we have some pretty lively political discussions in my classes. The thing that disturbs me most is what seems to be a prevalent attitude that Government is the answer to everything. College kids have been brain washed for so long, their concept is that they are entitled to everything they want at someone elses expense. Dependence on Government has replaced self-reliance as the norm. The ideals of hard work and thrift to acheive ones goal replaced by an attitude of Why work and save for what I want if someone will provide it for me.

They seem to beleive that there is an endless supply of funds for the Goverment to draw upon to provide everyone with their needs and wants. And they revile those who work hard, take risks, make their fortunes and then want to keep it as evil and greedy. I think maybe it is already too late.

Ceka Cianci · December 4, 2011

Lynda Baran wrote:

Unfortunately I find it very disheartening when, poll after poll shows that although people are repulsed by what the Congress is doing. They always say they think their Senators and Representatives are doing a good job. It appears they aren't willing to change things enough to make a difference. What we need, short of a viable Third Party to shake things up, is a complete house cleaning.

Though I don't teach Poli-Sci, in dead time we have some pretty lively political discussions in my classes. The thing that disturbs me most is what seems to be a prevalent attitude that Government is the answer to everything. College kids have been brain washed for so long, their concept is that they are entitled to everything they want at someone elses expense. Dependence on Government has replaced self-reliance as the norm. The ideals of hard work and thrift to acheive ones goal replaced by an attitude of Why work and save for what I want if someone will provide it for me.

They seem to beleive that there is an endless supply of funds for the Goverment to draw upon to provide everyone with their needs and wants. And they revile those who work hard, take risks, make their fortunes and then want to keep it as evil and greedy. I think maybe it is already too late.

high five!1 \o/ make it 10 lol

i am so ready for a good old fashioned renaissance hehehe not only just a good cleaning of the house..a good exile for every traitor sitting in those chairs that have been doing nothing but wrecking our lives and country..those greedy bastards letting corporations ruin us..

lets get back to making stuff in this country and exporting things made of steel again and get back to having a positive on our value..

i'm so tired of our value being based on our spending..we need real value..something we can touch and hold in our hand that will last longer than 6 months to 5 years that is actually made here..

Randall Ahren · December 4, 2011

Ceka Cianci wrote:

lets get back to making stuff in this country and exporting things made of steel again and get back to having a positive on our value..

How about drilling and producing oil? Have you heard of the Bakken oil formation? The oil available there could replace OPEC. See this article:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Believe it or not, a place exists where companies are hiring like crazy, and you can make $15 an hour serving tacos, $25 an hour waiting tables and $80,000 a year driving trucks.

You just have to move to North Dakota. Specifically, to one of the tiny towns surrounding the oil-rich Bakken formation, estimated to hold anywhere between 4 billion and 24 billion barrels of oil...

Ceka Cianci · December 4, 2011

Randall Ahren wrote:

Ceka Cianci wrote:

lets get back to making stuff in this country and exporting things made of steel again and get back to having a positive on our value..

How about drilling and producing oil? Have you heard of the Bakken oil formation? The oil available there could replace OPEC. See this

article:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Believe it or not, a place exists where companies are hiring like crazy, and you can make $15 an hour serving tacos, $25 an hour waiting tables and $80,000 a year driving trucks.

You just have to move to North Dakota. Specifically, to one of the tiny towns surrounding the oil-rich Bakken formation, estimated to hold anywhere between 4 billion and 24 billion barrels of oil...

i am all for becoming more self reliant..

Jenni Darkwatch · December 4, 2011

I'm more or less indifferent to SOPA.

SOPA pretends to reach out across the borders and dictate that other countries have to adhere to US law. Ridiculous and laughable.

It's just another law written by senile dimwits on behalf of power-hungry dimwits and supported by clueless dimwits.

GothGirl Demonia · December 6, 2011

http://vimeo.com/31100268 <--- I dont support SOPA

http://americancensorship.org/

Doesn't Mean I support Piracy, or harm to developers where it be the gaming industry, music artists, or Movie Producers, but I support the Free Flow OF Information, and I believe to restrict such would start a revolution.

These game Artists, Music Designers, and Movie Producers, or the Entertainment Industry usually makes more than any content developer does in SL anyways, I have seen hourly pay even an intern working for Arena Net gaming industry the ones who makes guild wars gets $14 an hour while working that is like above minimum wage, so why complain they make millions not that I am saying piracy is right, but let people Enjoy their Pursuit of happiness don't complain about every single copyright infringement on music playing in the background of a YouTube for example, or someone who modify's their PS3, or a game and such it is becoming a witch hunt.

And in no way am I saying that this should give people the right to Copy or steal content in SL, I mean while Real World business makes millions of dollars, most developers on our grid are not big companies who are greedy, or get paid hourly,and besides their work is often not expensive at all compared to going to the store and spending $49 for a game, or $100 for a collectors edition, even going to a movie costs more than buying something in SL.

SOPA, and DRM are a big Joke, DRM doesn't protect anyone, HackShield, Game Guard, Punk Buster, Steam, they are all laughs of protecting games from cheaters, or using DRM, and encryption to protect the game industry it simply wont work there will always be someone who makes a crack for anything and everything where it be a laid of worker themselves who shares the knowledge and such on how to make a cheat for a game, or bypass DRM.

DRM is also a hastle for legit users on music and such it gets annoying the reason I will never use DRM, or buy anything with DRM, I will always boycott anything with a DRM that gives me trouble, and get a DRM free version somewhere, or use my own Recording program and convert it into a DRM free version for example. DRM becomes a problem when you can't use a software or game program across multiple PC's, or limited licenses to play music because you had to wipe your Hard Disk quite a few times and didn't back up licenses.

Akayoo Nyoki · December 13, 2011

I would think more individuals would be fighting this thing, but it's all quite confusing.

I can point out several marketplace listings right now that would get SL shut down permanently if SOPA passes.

So, just cus SL is stationed in the USA... *begin sarcasm* Of course that doesn't effect any of the people who don't live in the US *end sarcasm*

Linden Labs would be held responsible for it's users... if it can't make sure it's users are following the new laws (regardless if they're from the US or not) the companies that want their copyrighted materials off SL could just have it shut down.

See, it's not just about piracy... it's about that Greenbay Packers logo you have in SL that you don't have written permission to use... or that avatar you have of Catwoman or Batman that the creator didn't have written permission to create and sell... or those movies you bought in SL, are you sure that the owner of that store has written permission from all those entertainment businesses to let you stream and view them?

Every single day we do this kinda stuff... not because we want to steal, but because we're fans and we want to show our interests or support.

Oh... and just a small fraction of those marketplace listings that will be effected and their creators may face 5 year prison sentence...

Jenni Darkwatch · December 13, 2011

Personally I'd actually _like_ to see such theft stop and the creators rot in jail (preferably throwing the keys away too).

I don't think I'd support SOPA though, as it totally does away with the safe harbor provision. Meaning everyone is responsible for what their users do. There's simply no limit to its abuse. It's even worse than the ill-conceived DMCA. And that's already abused a lot for harassment and shutdown of unwanted competition.

Maidloid · December 16, 2011

Do not under-estimate SOPA

It can very well affect Second-Life as it is trying to affect the entire internet in America.

If you care for your own creativities/freedom, sign against SOPA!

Perrie Juran · December 20, 2011

Sign the petition here:

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/veto-sopa-bill-and-any-other-future-bills-threaten-diminish-free-flow-information/g3W1BscR

Mircea Lobo · December 20, 2011

Nice to see that in only 3 days, that petition got the necessary number of votes. People should keep voting though, to further show the gov how much people want this bill removed.

GothGirl Demonia · January 5, 2012

This might be a bit of a necro post but worth looking at because hey its true and funny...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJIuYgIvKsc <---- How to stop SOPA Pass It On.

Already sent it to the ACLU, and quite a few other places

http://www.mmorpg.com/newsroom.cfm/read/23097#post <--- A Debate

Help fight internet censorship and SOPA!

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