Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures • Hacker News Board

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#61

Post by darkarmani » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 4:31 PM UTC

eshvk wrote: post #22

mtgx wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why I think financing campaigns should only be done by individuals and with a cap of $100 each to "equalize" the money vote, just like you equalize the regular vote, by giving a person the same vote everyone gets. But the way the system works now, the "money vote" seems to be much more powerful than the real vote, and because certain individuals or corporations can put as much money as they want on that vote,…

I think the logic behind corporate financing/lobbying is that if you allow individuals to contribute money separately, there is no reason why organized groups should not band together, analyze the election, choose a candidate and pay $100 for every one of their members to that candidate's campaign. This organized machine is going to always trump a bunch of individuals haphazardly contributing money.

How is that any different than those employees donating the money directly to the campaign and then working on the campaign?

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#62

Post by kaybe » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 4:33 PM UTC

nateabele wrote: post #55

sinak wrote: post #44

Hey everyone, I started this petition. Very glad we made it to 100k, and excited to see how the White House responds. I'm well aware that the WH may not take any real action though. Please sign up at http://fixthedmca.org if you care about this issue and want to continue helping the move to fix this issue permanently.

Yeah, I hate to be that guy, but the 'petition to end all petitions' comes to mind. Particularly the bits about 'politically safe non-answers' and 'channeling public activism into a cul-de-sac'. :-/

I can recommend this article:

http://swampland.time.com/2013/01/31/we-the-people/

It argues that the reason for petitions to exist is the possibility to open a dialog to the people who are concerned about certain topics (because the petition website gets your email adress), and that in the time of fractioning news consumption it is a useful way to keep communicating, whatever that means.

edit: Ok, why the heck do they call their page Swampland?

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#63

Post by darkarmani » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 4:34 PM UTC

analyst74 wrote: post #34

OK, something I don't understand. What's to stop someone from opening a store that sells unlocked phones? Is it because of the lack of carrier discount? If that's the case, people have already voted with their money on what they value more.

> If that's the case, people have already voted with their money on what they value more.

Yes, but when they voted (before jan 26), it was legal to unlock your phone. This law is like changing the terms of the contract mid-term.

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#64

Post by aleyan » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 4:34 PM UTC

I am glad this thing is happening. Unlike most other petitions that require changing law through Congress, this rests on a single individual. DMCA exemption can be made, and in case of phone unlocking have been made, by the Librarian at Library of Congress. He is appointed by the President and works at the behest of the Congress. The decision to allow the exemption to DMCA is completely up to him, and could be potentially influenced by such a petition.

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#65

Post by darkarmani » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 4:36 PM UTC

donniezazen wrote: post #48

When someone is not paying the full price of a phone, how can they expect to do anything with the phone? People don't actually own them.

> People don't actually own them.

I think you need to read up on property law or show me what law I'm ignorant of that says you don't actually own the phone.

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#66

Post by nateabele » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 4:41 PM UTC

kaybe wrote: post #62

nateabele wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I hate to be that guy, but the 'petition to end all petitions' comes to mind. Particularly the bits about 'politically safe non-answers' and 'channeling public activism into a cul-de-sac'. :-/

I can recommend this article: http://swampland.time.com/2013/01/31/we-the-people/ It argues that the reason for petitions to exist is the possibility to open a dialog to the people who are concerned about certain topics (because the petition website gets your email adress), and that in the time of fractioning news consumption it is a useful way to keep communicating, whatever that means. edit: Ok, why the heck do the…

Maybe I'm just cynical (okay, I'm probably just cynical), but that looks like a slightly more positive spin on essentially the same idea: a whole lot of 'communicating' and no action.

> edit: Ok, why the heck do they call their page Swampland?

Probably because it's about politics, and according to popular myth, DC was built on a swamp.

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#67

Post by diminoten » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 4:51 PM UTC

We need to stop calling these "Petition to ". These are not petitions for things to happen. This is not a petition to make phone unlocking legal again, it's a petition for the Whitehouse to write a response.

Furthermore, these petitions aren't going to be seen by lawmakers, as someone in the below comment says. Strictly speaking, the President is part of the executive branch, not the legislative branch, so in any event, no "lawmaker" will be seeing these petitions at all.

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#68

Post by tocomment » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 5:08 PM UTC

adrr wrote: post #8

manaskarekar wrote: post #7

It's funny how you have to petition to have lawmakers pay attention to an issue, when by definition, those people are there to represent the interest of the majority in the first place.

If all 100k people chipped in a $100, it would have more effect than this petition. We live in a time where it takes money to get elected.

Is there something like a kickstarter but for political issues? That would be perfect.

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#69

Post by Shivetya » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 5:10 PM UTC

diminoten wrote: post #67

We need to stop calling these "Petition to ". These are not petitions for things to happen. This is not a petition to make phone unlocking legal again, it's a petition for the Whitehouse to write a response. Furthermore, these petitions aren't going to be seen by lawmakers, as someone in the below comment says. Strictly speaking, the President is part of the executive branch, not the legislative branch, so in any eve…

oh I am pretty many of the lawmakers have interns or the likes whose job it is to watch certain sites for trends and such.

Re: Petition to make unlocking phones legal again passes 100,000 signatures

#70

Post by carlisle_ » Thu, Feb 21, 2013, 5:14 PM UTC

nateabele wrote: post #66

kaybe wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can recommend this article: http://swampland.time.com/2013/01/31/we-the-people/ It argues that the reason for petitions to exist is the possibility to open a dialog to the people who are concerned about certain topics (because the petition website gets your email adress), and that in the time of fractioning news consumption it is a useful way to keep communicating, whatever that means. edit: Ok, why the heck do the…

Maybe I'm just cynical (okay, I'm probably just cynical), but that looks like a slightly more positive spin on essentially the same idea: a whole lot of 'communicating' and no action. > edit: Ok, why the heck do they call their page Swampland? Probably because it's about politics, and according to popular myth, DC was built on a swamp.

First step to action is communication. Politicians aren't mind readers, they need to communicate with their constituents to understand their wants.

Whether or not a petition is an effective means of communication I'm not qualified to answer, but it seems like a better option than doing nothing at all.