3 ms·

Conspicuously absent: Berners-Lee and Bray.

balloot 15y ago
Berners-Lee is British. He has been working with the British government on internet issues. I know this is crazy, but they actually listen to him.
- recoil 15y ago
  And Bray is Canadian.
  - sudoscientist 15y ago
    And Pouzin is French. So what's your point?
- samstokes 15y ago
  they actually listen to him Unfortunately, not so. e.g. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/8030467/Internet-disconnection-like-being-imprisoned-says-Sir-Tim-Berners-Lee.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/8030467/Inter... The Digital Economy Act he is complaining about in that article - which, like SOPA, included provisions for national censorship in the name of copyright - passed by a large majority. Most MPs were not present for the debate, but simply voted according to their party line.
  - rmc 15y ago
    Most MPs were not present for the debate, but simply voted according to their party line. That's the case in UK politics. The 'party whip' is used, and only in uncommon cases is a 'free vote' allowed.
_bbs 15y ago
I can't find much on Berners-Lee's stance on SOPA. Do you have any information as to why he wouldn't sign this letter? EDIT: Just realized he is British (thanks to the other reply). Do you believe his silence (if any, again I can't find much on his stance) relates to his citizenship?
- sp332 15y ago
  Yeah, he's against it. https://twitter.com/#!/timberners_lee/status/137195434794958848 https://twitter.com/#!/timberners_lee/status/137195434794958... which has a broken link, should be https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/opinion/firewall-law-could-infringe-on-free-speech.html?_r=1 https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/opinion/firewall-law-coul...
lincolnwebs 15y ago
There's no citizenship requirement for petitioning Congress, the petition doesn't identify them as exclusively US citizens, this is an issue with international repercussions, and they're prominent figures that even the dolts in the House may have heard of. While nationality is likely the cause, they are no less conspicuously absent.

Berners-Lee is British. He has been working with the British government on internet issues. I know this is crazy, but they actually listen to him.

recoil 15y ago
And Bray is Canadian.
- sudoscientist 15y ago
  And Pouzin is French. So what's your point?
samstokes 15y ago
they actually listen to him Unfortunately, not so. e.g. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/8030467/Internet-disconnection-like-being-imprisoned-says-Sir-Tim-Berners-Lee.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/8030467/Inter... The Digital Economy Act he is complaining about in that article - which, like SOPA, included provisions for national censorship in the name of copyright - passed by a large majority. Most MPs were not present for the debate, but simply voted according to their party line.
- rmc 15y ago
  Most MPs were not present for the debate, but simply voted according to their party line. That's the case in UK politics. The 'party whip' is used, and only in uncommon cases is a 'free vote' allowed.

_bbs 15y ago

I can't find much on Berners-Lee's stance on SOPA. Do you have any information as to why he wouldn't sign this letter? EDIT: Just realized he is British (thanks to the other reply). Do you believe his silence (if any, again I can't find much on his stance) relates to his citizenship?

sp332 15y ago
Yeah, he's against it. https://twitter.com/#!/timberners_lee/status/137195434794958848 https://twitter.com/#!/timberners_lee/status/137195434794958... which has a broken link, should be https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/opinion/firewall-law-could-infringe-on-free-speech.html?_r=1 https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/opinion/firewall-law-coul...

lincolnwebs 15y ago

There's no citizenship requirement for petitioning Congress, the petition doesn't identify them as exclusively US citizens, this is an issue with international repercussions, and they're prominent figures that even the dolts in the House may have heard of. While nationality is likely the cause, they are no less conspicuously absent.