4 ms·

This "stunt" has been solely designed to raise awareness and mobilize support. It doesn't take Google or Facebook blacking out their site to accomplish this - s

This "stunt" has been solely designed to raise awareness and mobilize support. It doesn't take Google or Facebook blacking out their site to accomplish this - simply running a text link or a banner on their sites would go a long way towards helping a huge audience understand the heinous demands of the IP Lobby. By that same stroke, the more dramatic blackouts will also raise a lot of awareness. Despite the differing tactics, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people will be exposed to these important issues tomorrow. I call that a success. Reuters story was just another example of the thinly researched, hastily prepared and barely coherent writing that passes as journalism nowadays.

toyg 15y ago
Reuters is part of the establishment, and is acting the part, so no surprise there. The truth is that opposition to this bill is multi-layered: the masses of Wikipedia and Reddit walk the networked streets shouting with their megaphones, while Google and Facebook quietly cut checks to people in suit who know how to talk to congressmen. This is why Big Media actors, like Murdoch and Reuters, are so angry about it all: they thought they only had to deal with Occupy-style "crazies", and instead they find themselves challenged on their own ground as well. They are trying very hard to frame the protest as a "failure" even though it's being wildly successful. I wonder what will happen if/once PIPA is voted down.
- freejack 15y ago
  Thinking out loud, I wonder how effective the tech counter-lobby can be in a situation like this. Google and Facebook can cut all the checks they want, but if the congress critters have made up their mind about this bill, it would take a huge lobby to make even small differences. I mean it can't hurt - every little bit helps, but it would be super-interesting to know which tactics were most effective compared to everything that's been done to defeat these proposals.
  - moe 15y ago
    To me this is one of the rare cases where technology really is the answer (or rather: where technology dictates the answer). SOPA-proponents can pass any bills they want, nothing can push the cat back into the bag. Filesharing is easy now. People like it. The tech is out there and can't be blocked (see magnet links). Even if the laws pass; for every file-sharing "terrorist" they put in jail there are 10 more. And they're losing mindshare with every action they take. Bills like SOPA are merely delaying the inevitable, they can't turn back time. Of course that doesn't mean we shouldn't front them, as we are.
vm 15y ago
Yet another example of awful reporting. All the press coverage I see on SOPA calls this a battle between anti-privacy advocates and Internet supporters. Wrong. This is a battle about whether we will allow a few large companies to let their commercial interests regulate Internet access for the entire US (and rest of world as a result). I hope the Wikipedia, reddit and google education efforts finally explain the problems with SOPA to the public

toyg 15y ago

Reuters is part of the establishment, and is acting the part, so no surprise there. The truth is that opposition to this bill is multi-layered: the masses of Wikipedia and Reddit walk the networked streets shouting with their megaphones, while Google and Facebook quietly cut checks to people in suit who know how to talk to congressmen. This is why Big Media actors, like Murdoch and Reuters, are so angry about it all: they thought they only had to deal with Occupy-style "crazies", and instead they find themselves challenged on their own ground as well. They are trying very hard to frame the protest as a "failure" even though it's being wildly successful. I wonder what will happen if/once PIPA is voted down.

freejack 15y ago
Thinking out loud, I wonder how effective the tech counter-lobby can be in a situation like this. Google and Facebook can cut all the checks they want, but if the congress critters have made up their mind about this bill, it would take a huge lobby to make even small differences. I mean it can't hurt - every little bit helps, but it would be super-interesting to know which tactics were most effective compared to everything that's been done to defeat these proposals.
- moe 15y ago
  To me this is one of the rare cases where technology really is the answer (or rather: where technology dictates the answer). SOPA-proponents can pass any bills they want, nothing can push the cat back into the bag. Filesharing is easy now. People like it. The tech is out there and can't be blocked (see magnet links). Even if the laws pass; for every file-sharing "terrorist" they put in jail there are 10 more. And they're losing mindshare with every action they take. Bills like SOPA are merely delaying the inevitable, they can't turn back time. Of course that doesn't mean we shouldn't front them, as we are.

vm 15y ago

Yet another example of awful reporting. All the press coverage I see on SOPA calls this a battle between anti-privacy advocates and Internet supporters. Wrong. This is a battle about whether we will allow a few large companies to let their commercial interests regulate Internet access for the entire US (and rest of world as a result). I hope the Wikipedia, reddit and google education efforts finally explain the problems with SOPA to the public