Stop censorship

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vac: copied from a slickdeals thread (that's why all the links are redirects through them). Notably, that site has hundreds of thousands of visitors.


http://vimeo.com/31100268

Today, the US House Judiciary Committee has a hearing on the Stop Online Piracy Act (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act) [wikipedia.org (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act)] or SOPA. The text of the bill is here (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/112%20HR%203261.pdf) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/112%20HR%203261.pdf)]. This bill would strengthen copyright holders' means to go after allegedly infringing sites at detrimental cost to the freedom and integrity of the Internet. As a result, we are joining forces with organizations such as the EFF, Mozilla, Wikimedia, and the FSF for American Censorship Day (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://americancensorship.org/) [americancensorship.org (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://americancensorship.org/)].

Part of this act would undermine the safe harbor (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_harbor) [wikipedia.org (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_harbor)] provisions of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_Act) [wikipedia.org (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_Act)] which would make sites like reddit, youtube and slickdeals liable for hosting user content that may be infringing. This act would also force search engines, DNS providers, and payment processors to cease all activities with allegedly infringing sites, in effect, walling off users from them.

It would, in effect, allow companies to bypass the judicial system and take down or block websites simply by accusing a user of posting just potentially infringing content on a website. That could be as little as posting on a forum and talking about product, posting a picture of you with a logo in it, or posting a video with music in the background, we just don't know how far they will try to reach... but we do know that they already abuse the power and tools they have been given (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/11/warner-admits-it-issues-takedowns-for-files-it-hasnt-looked-at.ars) [arstechnica.com (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/11/warner-admits-it-issues-takedowns-for-files-it-hasnt-looked-at.ars)]

This bill sets a chilling precedent that endangers everyone's right to freely express themselves and the future of the Internet. If you would like to voice your opinion to those in Washington, please consider writing your representative (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml)] and the sponsors of this bill:

Lamar Smith (R-TX) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://lamarsmith.house.gov/Contact/staffinformation.htm) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://lamarsmith.house.gov/Contact/staffinformation.htm)]
John Conyers (D-MI) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://conyers.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactInformation) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://conyers.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactInformation)]
Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://goodlatte.house.gov/contacts/new) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://goodlatte.house.gov/contacts/new)]
Howard L. Berman (D-CA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://www.house.gov/berman/contact/index.shtml) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://www.house.gov/berman/contact/index.shtml)]
Tim Griffin (R-AR) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://griffin.house.gov/contact-me) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://griffin.house.gov/contact-me)]
Elton Gallegly (R-CA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://www.house.gov/gallegly/contact/contact.htm) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://www.house.gov/gallegly/contact/contact.htm)]
Theodore E. Deutch (D-FL) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://deutch.house.gov/Contact/) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://deutch.house.gov/Contact/)]
Steve Chabot (R-OH) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://chabot.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=3&sectiontree=3) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://chabot.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=3&sectiontree=3)]
Dennis Ross (R-FL) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://dennisross.house.gov/Contact/) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://dennisross.house.gov/Contact/)]
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://blackburn.house.gov/Contact/) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://blackburn.house.gov/Contact/)]
Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://bono.house.gov/Contact_Mary/) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://bono.house.gov/Contact_Mary/)]
Lee Terry (R-NE) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://forms.house.gov/terry/webforms/zip_auth.shtm) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://forms.house.gov/terry/webforms/zip_auth.shtm)]
Adam B. Schiff (D-CA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://schiff.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=3&sectiontree=3) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://schiff.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=3&sectiontree=3)]
Mel Watt (D-NC) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://watt.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2580&Itemid=67) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://watt.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2580&Itemid=67)]
John Carter (R-TX) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://carter.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=239) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://carter.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=239)]
Karen Bass (D-CA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://karenbass.house.gov/contact-me) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://karenbass.house.gov/contact-me)]
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://wassermanschultz.house.gov/contact/) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://wassermanschultz.house.gov/contact/)]
Peter King (R-NY) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://peteking.house.gov/email.shtml) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://peteking.house.gov/email.shtml)]
Mark E. Amodei (R-NV) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://amodei.house.gov/contact-me) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://amodei.house.gov/contact-me)]
Tom Marino (R-PA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://marino.house.gov/contact-me/email-me) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://marino.house.gov/contact-me/email-me)]
Alan Nunnelee (R-MS) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://nunnelee.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=3&sectiontree=3) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://nunnelee.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=3&sectiontree=3)]
John Barrow (D-GA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://forms.house.gov/barrow/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://forms.house.gov/barrow/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm)]
Steve Scalise (R-LA) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://scalise.house.gov/contact-me) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=https://scalise.house.gov/contact-me)]
Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://lujan.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=105) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://lujan.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=105)]
William L. Owens (D-NY) (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://owens.house.gov/Contact/) [house.gov (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://owens.house.gov/Contact/)]


*Thanks to reddit for some of the copy! Also, normally we dont sticky things like this to hot deals, but I felt it important enough to get the word out

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Here's a link (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=3564090&sdfid=9&u2=https://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/;jsessionid=3FE4584E15295EACC55D55F087F9810E-n4?action_KEY=8173) [wiredforchange.com (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=3564090&sdfid=9&u2=https://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/;jsessionid=3FE4584E15295EACC55D55F087F9810E-n4?action_KEY=8173)]where you can just type your zip code and it will auto-fill all the information.

Samples of what you can write to your representative:

I am a constituent and I urge you to reject the Internet Blacklist Bills (PROTECT IP Act in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act in the House). I do *not* want the government, and especially not companies, to have the power to block websites. The Internet Blacklist bill will open the sites I love to crushing lawsuits, and kill jobs in the tech sector. I urge you to join Senator Wyden and other members of Congress in opposing it.



ALSO: (thanks onedeenentee (http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=44769622&postcount=46))
Do NOT vote for this bill. The thought that we can have someone police the Internet from foreign websites that violate US law is childish. Attempting to police the Internet would endanger the 1st amendment by censorship.

We have enough protections in place for businesses, enough protections that even the businesses themselves abuse and can't follow the law. This bill also sets a precedent whereby the individual's responsibility it lessened. If anything we need to reverse this trend of no individual responsibility.


Edit: (IbDealhunter)
You can easily send a physical letter for free to your reprsentative via: https://sendwrite.com/sopa/ (http://slickdeals.net/?sdtid=3564090&sdfid=9&u2=https://sendwrite.com/sopa/). Just find your representatives name above, and select it in the pull down on the sendwrite page.