Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA • Hacker News Board

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#31

Post by nestlequ1k » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 8:55 PM UTC

All these services have huge audiences. Audiences that money can't buy.

Every one of these services should have a splash page that every user sees at least once. It should explain in simple terms, what SOPA is, why it is on the verge of wrecking the US internet economy.

Time is running out. If these services don't act, they'll eventually be taken down by the political class who can't stand the fact that their power has diminished by the next wave of technology.

No one needs to black out anything, or "go nuclear". Just spread awareness. ASAP

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#32

Post by geoffschmidt » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 9:22 PM UTC

kondro wrote: post #7

I really don't think this will work because the Government will see it for the empty threat that it truly is. A Google or a Facebook prove they have the guts to throw their off-switch for anyone to take this seriously.

The goal is to raise awareness. For example, every cable news program in America would cover it as one of the day's top stories. You can't buy that with money.

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#33

Post by jerfelix » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 9:28 PM UTC

huhtenberg wrote: post #18

Does http://netcolation.com look fishy to anyone? It has no formal list of members, but instead claims to "represent" Google and others without elaborating as to what this means. It also looks like a part-time operation run by a pair of lawyers. I am all for a coalition, but this looks odd at best and may easily backfire. If they are assigning themselves to be Google's representatives on the matter, then Google will…

Corrected Link: http://www.netcoalition.com/

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#34

Post by Symmetry » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 9:37 PM UTC

tsantero wrote: post #12

I was disappointed when Time magazine named "the Protester" person of the year for 2011. A blackout of major web services would amount to little more than a stunt. Sure, the mainstream media will run the story for the first day...but for how long will these services remain willfully unavailable? Who will cave in first and go back online without resolution? It seems to me that the popularity of activism and protesting…

Protests work quite well when they have: 1) A clear call to some action 2) That most voters already support, or would if they though about it a bit.

In general protests do decrease popular support for their cause a bit if the protests are disruptive, but they can make up for it by making an issue the focus of wider debate. In authoritarian countries they also let people in the majority figure out that they are in the majority, which is very important when you're trying to figure out if you want to commit to helping to overthrow a regime.

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#35

Post by Florin_Andrei » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 9:38 PM UTC

adrianwaj wrote: post #21

axefrog wrote: post #15

It amazes me how many commenters here seem to be missing the point. The point is not to take these sites offline in a kind of "do what we want or you can't have our services" move, but to bring the issue to the attention of everyone who is unaware that this may affect them. These sites have the eyes of millions of americans who are completely unaware of the SOPA threat and turning the sites off for a day, or even sho…

Yes, and at that point it can become an election issue, and then it can be defeated.

"Defeated" as in - no politician would want to be seen anywhere near that bill. It'll get buried, as it should.

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#36

Post by Florin_Andrei » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 9:42 PM UTC

geoffschmidt wrote: post #32

kondro wrote: post #7

I really don't think this will work because the Government will see it for the empty threat that it truly is. A Google or a Facebook prove they have the guts to throw their off-switch for anyone to take this seriously.

The goal is to raise awareness. For example, every cable news program in America would cover it as one of the day's top stories. You can't buy that with money.

Technically you could, but you'd need lots and lots of money.

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#37

Post by Joakal » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 9:47 PM UTC

That's the equivalent of USA blowing up an USA base with nuclear bombs to defend against the invaders. Please take it to them, blow up the invaders in their own bases.

Instead, promote Internet Freedom to replace and outlaw SOPA, DMCA, PROTECT-IP, COICA, CEST, OPENA, ACTA and more.

The pacifist nature of the SOPA movement sucks because it targets one bill, when there's a tsunami of anti-Internet bills.

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#38

Post by farinasa » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 10:01 PM UTC

enobrev wrote: post #23

farinasa wrote: post #11

I understand the negative response to calling this a "Nuclear Option", but I don't understand everyone's negative reaction to the idea. How many 12 - 17 year old kids have any idea what SOPA is? If for the next two weeks all they saw was a "simulated SOPA" on facebook and google, how many do you think would complain to mom and dad? I'm sure plenty of kids of wealthy people have gotten things changed just in the name…

Education is required before a boycott could possibly be effective. As it stands, a boycott would amount to a headline resembling: "Hacker News Boycotts Media over SOPA." When questioned, [media exec] responded "We didn't Notice a thing - as a matter of fact, sales were up for the week. Who the hell is Hacker News? Sounds like the group of pirates we're trying to protect ourselves from." Once everyone understands wha…

Education is required before a boycott could possibly be effective.

I understand this completely. A boycott isn't actually a boycott unless the company knows why you are boycotting them, but that is what exactly I'm suggesting. It shouldn't be in the name of anything i.e. "Hacker News". It should be a movement for citizens, by citizens. SOPA is a huge violation of constitutional rights and that should be all the reason needed to initiate a boycott.

Instead of a black out, perhaps every other page load will display an "educational" message for five minutes. Business continues but it's annoying enough to be effective. I'm also not suggesting that google or facebook encourage a boycott as that is just asking for trouble. That's why it needs to be a "civil rights" movement.

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#39

Post by marichyasana » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 10:40 PM UTC

Instead of a blackout, why not have a period of "IPV6" only?

Re: Web Giants Consider 'Nuclear Option' Blackout to Fight SOPA

#40

Post by artichokeheart » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 10:45 PM UTC

nestlequ1k wrote: post #31

All these services have huge audiences. Audiences that money can't buy. Every one of these services should have a splash page that every user sees at least once. It should explain in simple terms, what SOPA is, why it is on the verge of wrecking the US internet economy. Time is running out. If these services don't act, they'll eventually be taken down by the political class who can't stand the fact that their power h…

This is what I don't understand. Are these companies so short-sited that they cannot see the potential of their own user base as a massive lobbying arm? Do they secretly support SOPA?

If the main stream media was threatened with a similar type of legislation they would mount an non-stop campaign through their editorials and choice of headlining stories so that their audience was aware of what was happening and how bad the legislation was. This is the reason Rupert Murdoch has so much power.