One of the major arguments against SOPA is that it's currently vaguely worded. As it is, SOPA allows persecution for websites who have links to pirating websites in their comment features. So, if somebody commented on a Time magazine article online giving someone else a link to The Pirate Bay, they would be leaving Time out to dry and left faced with a fine or other repercussions to deal with.
This brings up another interesting point, The Pirate Bay specifically is one of the largest providers of pirated material. However, it is based out of Sweden. So how can American legislation be made to quell a foreign "threat?" The bill leaves a lot to be desired and is under a lot of scrutiny from a large number of internet companies, so that 9% approval rating could be dropping.
I feel this bill is either a distraction from other difficulties that are happening in America or the World. Congress might be using themselves as a scapegoat (if that's possible) to draw attention away from the Occupy movements. Either that, or Congress realizes that they have nearly no support and decided that they might as well do what they want since they don't have much to lose.
Opposition to SOPA claims that their rights are being infringed upon, even though they're aware that they are harming the entertainment industry by pirating music. The strongest opposition are those who advocate free media, and therefore the sharing of files freely. Their reasoning for this is usually because they don't have the money for it themselves, but use the example of the price of media being a day's wages in less fortunate countries and therefore the content should be free to them.
Now feel free to give your input on this matter.
I would just like to say, that I think herpes still has a better approval rating than Congress.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this act is absolute garbage. There is no reason why the internet should be under the control of the government under any circumstances if the government claims to be a "constitutional-based federal republic" that prides itself in its protection of the freedom and liberties of its citizens.
Under this act, if I downloaded a single Michael Jackson song, I would get five years in prison. That's one year longer than the doctor who killed him!
It's outrageous and ridiculous and if this passes, we might as well censor everything else, too and call ourselves China.
Also, I don't know if the law pertaining to this situation is from the SOPA act or not, but I read somewhere that if someone uploaded a video of his or her self singing (not lip syncing, the person's actual voice)to a copyrighted song, that person could get in a ton of trouble and would not be allowed on YouTube. Talk about destroying the internet...
Hahaha Hannah, I love your comment about that's one year longer than the guy who killed Michael Jackson. That really shows how absurd this bill is...
ReplyDeleteI think a fine for illegally downloading files can be justified because Artists deserve to get paid for the work they put out but doing time is just over the top...
I'm sure if you asked the actors in the movies people illegally stream or the singers in the music we download without paying they would never want anyone to go to jail!
It's a waste of our nations funds too to pay for people to be put in jail for such a little "crime".
SOPA IS GONNEEEEEEEEE.
ReplyDeleteI realize I'm commenting on this a little late to give my opinion on this "matter". But finally congress gave up on this (for now at least), after so much opposition and action taken by sites like Wikipedia and Google for blacking out and spreading the word.
So hoorrraaaayyyyyy for us, we can continue to Bit Torrent all of our music!