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How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

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Re: How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

#11

Post by alttag »

I participated in the recent EFF push for contacting elected representatives regarding SOPA. I customized their pre-packaged letter greatly, adding both my experience and qualifications and expounding on the distrust from the tech industry to SOPA.

The response from my (Republican) Congressman was a form letter telling me I was wrong, and regurgitating a the pro-SOPA talking points.

I've been contemplating a rather severe letter in response, but I haven't gotten to it as I don't believe anything I can say to him will be effective.

Re: How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

#14

Post by quanticle »

rmc wrote: post #7
bradleyland wrote: post #2

Did anyone ever think we'd see the day where we were using DMCA as an example of the preferrable alternative?

Yes, it's strange isn't it? But since the big media copyright lads want to go further than the DMCA, that would imply it was OK. And the USA has the DMCA now, how has the last 10 years been for internet freedom? Not too bad, so it probably wasn't that bad.

How much freer would the Internet have been if the DMCA had not been passed? Think of all the hours YouTube alone spends in policing itself and handling copyright takedown notices and imagine those hours spent improving YouTube or coming up with new video sharing services.

The current copyright regime is tolerable. Tolerable and good are worlds apart.

Re: How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

#15

Post by _ea1k »

kvermeer wrote: post #9
flyingyeti wrote: post #5

I'm used to seeing a close button on these types of messages on Stack Overflow. Kind of a nuisance to have it stuck there even after I've signed the petition. Maybe if it were a different color, or I hadn't been trained to read all of the yellow status messages on each SO page, it would be less annoying..

The system messages don't have a close button, they're usually used for important site status updates such as "There will be a short network wide outage starting on date at time for system maintenance". The use of the tool for memorials to Steve Jobs or for political messages like this is extremely rare. It's a good thing that you read the status messages. Normally, they're important.

All of the top notification banners are the most annoying part of SO, IMO. Every time I go there I end up clicking close 3-4 times.

Re: How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

#16

Post by ilaksh »

The fact that its even possible for this law to be considered should give people another hint at how dangerous and negligent our "representatives" are. Other obvious hints are apparent also, such as the Patriot Act and about 100 other things I won't mention.

People just need to face reality. Its a corrupt system. The government is full of fraudsters and even mass murderers. I know its hard to accept that, but that's the truth.

The other problem is that its the very structure of our government and society that creates these outcomes over and over again.

We need to do some agile engineering on society, starting from base premises.

Re: How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

#17

Post by maeon3 »

The global internet is quickly becoming a more powerful entity than all the rulers in Congress. Congress will not stop trying to put a leash on it. The more powerful the internet gets, the more you will see Congress trying anything to establish control. Child pornography, digital rights, copyright, Chinese hackers, national security, containing the terrorists, fud... Congress will use military force if necessary if the global internet challenges its supreme authority as global sovreign. Which one day it will.

Re: How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

#18

Post by freehunter »

alttag wrote: post #11

I participated in the recent EFF push for contacting elected representatives regarding SOPA. I customized their pre-packaged letter greatly, adding both my experience and qualifications and expounding on the distrust from the tech industry to SOPA. The response from my (Republican) Congressman was a form letter telling me I was wrong, and regurgitating a the pro-SOPA talking points. I've been contemplating a rather s…

Mr Congressman, you have lost my vote forever. Furthermore, I will be campaigning on behalf of $OPPONENT who still believes in freedom and our greatest liberties. The fact that we have great men like $OPPONENT proves American democracy still works.

Re: How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

#19

Post by nknight »

quanticle wrote: post #14
rmc wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it's strange isn't it? But since the big media copyright lads want to go further than the DMCA, that would imply it was OK. And the USA has the DMCA now, how has the last 10 years been for internet freedom? Not too bad, so it probably wasn't that bad.

How much freer would the Internet have been if the DMCA had not been passed? Think of all the hours YouTube alone spends in policing itself and handling copyright takedown notices and imagine those hours spent improving YouTube or coming up with new video sharing services. The current copyright regime is tolerable. Tolerable and good are worlds apart.

YouTube would not exist today without the safe-harbor provisions of the DMCA. It would have been sued out of existence years ago.

The DMCA did not create copyright law, it modified it, and pre-DMCA, YouTube would have had no protections.

Re: How does SOPA threaten Stack Overflow?

#20

Post by [deleted] »

quanticle wrote: post #14
rmc wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it's strange isn't it? But since the big media copyright lads want to go further than the DMCA, that would imply it was OK. And the USA has the DMCA now, how has the last 10 years been for internet freedom? Not too bad, so it probably wasn't that bad.

How much freer would the Internet have been if the DMCA had not been passed? Think of all the hours YouTube alone spends in policing itself and handling copyright takedown notices and imagine those hours spent improving YouTube or coming up with new video sharing services. The current copyright regime is tolerable. Tolerable and good are worlds apart.

[deleted]
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