SOPA website protests

[kristus]

DoomUK said:

Not what I meant at all. But I do think you know what I meant and you're looking for something to pick a fight over.

No, I really do not.

[xepop]

DoomUK said:

My intellect is sufficiently developed to understand that it's a bad idea when it's explained to me.

Most people doesn't have your intellectual superiority.

[Aliotroph?]

It's disappointing more of the huge tech companies didn't join in.

Interesting thing I noticed: Wikipedia works fine if you're using a script blocker.

[Butts]

The sites handled it better than I would have... I would have done something to the effect of an annoying, flashing picture of "censored: courtesy of the US Government. Protecting you and your future" then done a briefing of the bills. But seriously though, this world has allowed entities to arise that are bigger than people, and they have all the money, the jobs, etc. etc. Corporations and Government "In May and September 2011, two letters signed by 170 and 359 businesses and organizations"... You know, individual people like National Association of Manufacturers, or Sony, or Ford Motor Company.

[Quast]

DoomUK said:

What's selfish is striking because of "poor working conditions" (typically, not getting enough moneys) and putting your own quality of life ahead of the service you're getting paid to do in the first place. People are paid in return for providing some service to the rest of society, be it whatever. Taking that service away because you aren't satisfied with your wages isn't helping anyone except yourself.

Striking workers and union members have risked and given their lives for the sake of better working conditions and the creation of laws that protect workers rights. You know, such as not having to risk your health and welfare by being required to work in dangerous and unsanitary conditions for pennies. Trying to frame the issue as wanting 'more moneys' is really stupid when you look at the history of management and labor and what regular people had to endure in the early days of modern industry, and all the hurdles they had to overcome so that you can I could maybe enjoy being treated fairly. And the sad part is that for all of that, people are still getting screwed on a regular basis.

Jodwin said:

Sure it would be more effective if all those other websites would participate as well, but there's not way that would happen. Out of the ones you listed Wikipedia is the only non-profit organization, all the rest are businesses. Even if they oppose SOPA, there's no way they'd shut down their business for a day like that.

I know all too well, but I can dream can't I?

[dew]

Aliotroph? said:

Interesting thing I noticed: Wikipedia works fine if you're using a script blocker.

i can see the logic behind that. if you're computer-savvy enough to figure out a script blocker, you probably don't need SOPA explained with a puppet show. this is still fun though!

[DeathevokatioN]

Butts said:

"Protecting you and your future"

I would have personally changed this part to "Protecting you from having a future". :)

[Doom_Dude]

Blues News has also gone dark. I also think more sites should have joined in.

[valkiriforce]

When I go to Wikipedia I hit the prt sc button really fast before it goes black then I paste it in MS Paint and read the article.

[DoomUK]

Creaphis said:

Right. This was the status quo for virtually all jobs after the industrial revolution, which is why people started organizing unions so they could strike effectively, which ultimately improved conditions for everyone. This kind of protest is necessary and effective even if you're too hilariously ignorant to see why.

I don't keep up to date with provincial news from Canada, but has there been a more recent strike somewhere on your side of the Atlantic which resulted in improvements in working conditions comparable to the improvement of the universally horrendous conditions in factories during that period of history?

[Kira]

Butts said:

The sites handled it better than I would have... I would have done something to the effect of an annoying, flashing picture of "censored: courtesy of the US Government. Protecting you and your future" then done a briefing of the bills. But seriously though, this world has allowed entities to arise that are bigger than people, and they have all the money, the jobs, etc. etc. Corporations and Government "In May and September 2011, two letters signed by 170 and 359 businesses and organizations"... You know, individual people like National Association of Manufacturers, or Sony, or Ford Motor Company.

Exactly why you are f**ked:

[Macro11_1]

fraggle said:

[...] They've even deliberately done it in such a way that the blackout can be trivially worked around if you really need the information today.

Aliotroph? said:

It's disappointing more of the huge tech companies didn't join in.

Interesting thing I noticed: Wikipedia works fine if you're using a script blocker.

dew said:

i can see the logic behind that. if you're computer-savvy enough to figure out a script blocker, you probably don't need SOPA explained with a puppet show. this is still fun though!

Wikipedia said:

Yes. During the blackout, Wikipedia is accessible on mobile devices and smart phones. You can also view Wikipedia normally by disabling JavaScript in your browser, as explained on this Technical FAQ page. Our purpose here isn't to make it completely impossible for people to read Wikipedia, and it's okay for you to circumvent the blackout. We just want to make sure you see our message.

Just posting this to illustrate a point, 3/x people noticed that there was a work around AND COMMUNICATED IT, it was even posted in plain daylight on the website. Now, tell me that this does not illustrate why "awareness strikes" like these are effective. I mean, the whole point is to MAKE PEOPLE SEE how this could effect them. All too often people sit idle and wait for their lives to pass them by, at least this way, their bubble life is jabbed and prodded at... for better OR worse.

[lazygecko]

https://twitter.com/herpderpedia

Procrastinator judgement day.

[Kirby]

DoomUK said:

I don't keep up to date with provincial news from Canada, but has there been a more recent strike somewhere on your side of the Atlantic which resulted in improvements in working conditions comparable to the improvement of the universally horrendous conditions in factories during that period of history?

What exactly is your point? This doesn't have any effect on what Creaphis said, which is that striking was an effective tool in creating better working conditions just after the industrial revolution. Are you implying that striking is now ineffective because the circumstances have changed?

[Craigs]

Seems even Moot is jumping aboard the anti sopa protest. Text is automatically spoilered on the website right now

[Snakes]

I really wish those other websites would do that - businesses or not. Some things require action, even if there are risks involved. Facebook, Google, etc. are highly profitable and to shut down for a day would really get people anxious and curious. It would not destroy their company, though it may damage it in some way. To be truly passionate about something, you have to take risks and expect challenges. There needs to be more.

Imagine the shitstorm across the nation if people had to resort to using Bing for a day.

[Craigs]

Snakes said:

I really wish those other websites would do that - businesses or not. Some things require action, even if there are risks involved. Facebook, Google, etc. are highly profitable and to shut down for a day would really get people anxious and curious.

What? Facebook and google haven't shut down. I haven't even seen Facebook openly protest SOPA, and all google has done today was put a black box over their logo.

[Khorus]

Craigs said:

What? Facebook and google haven't shut down. I haven't even seen Facebook openly protest SOPA, and all google has done today was put a black box over their logo.

He's saying there'd be greater impact if they did shut down for a day.

[Snakes]

Craigs said:

What? Facebook and google haven't shut down. I haven't even seen Facebook openly protest SOPA, and all google has done today was put a black box over their logo.

I meant I wished that they would shut down.

[40oz]

To raise awareness about animal cruelty, we're going to-- you guessed it, beat the shit out of 70,000 puppies and kittens!

[HavoX]

40oz said:

To raise awareness about animal cruelty, we're going to-- you guessed it, beat the shit out of 70,000 puppies and kittens!

Horrible effort at comedy.

[Sharessa]

4chan and tumblr are blacking out, too. It took all of 30 minutes for someone to make a workaround for 4chan, though. Who'd have thought?

It's kind of funny because IIRC, SOPA died in the house and the president actually said he wouldn't write either bill into law. Meanwhile, while everyone is protesting SOPA, the NDAA which is 10x worse gets signed into law and no one cares. Seems almost like a smokescreen. Whatever.

Also, if I were any of these websites, I would have doen it for a whole week, not a day.

[DoomUK]

Kirby said:

Are you implying that striking is now ineffective because the circumstances have changed?

No. I just believe it should be reserved for - and even encouraged in - the most desperate situations. Not when your comparatively comfortable life isn't even affected by some grievance at your job.

40oz said:

To raise awareness about animal cruelty, we're going to-- you guessed it, beat the shit out of 70,000 puppies and kittens!

Pretty much sums up what I was trying to get at earlier ITT.

[Snakes]

Really? That pathetic and totally senseless metaphor?

[DooMAD]

Pardon my crackpot conspiracy theories, but I can't help but think there's more to the intended usage of SOPA and PIPA than just copyright. I'm disturbed by the number of mainstream "news" moguls that support these bills. I think they don't want a free internet with independent reporting, they want to spoon feed their slanted rhetoric to an ignorant American public.

For instance, their recent coverage of the American election buildup deliberately excludes candidates they don't approve of and they are openly pushing for war with Iran because they can profit from it financially.

Once half the internet is blocked and people can't look at more reliable sources to find out what the real truth might be, they'll have a captive audience who will believe anything they're told to.

Danarchy said:

Meanwhile, while everyone is protesting SOPA, the NDAA which is 10x worse gets signed into law and no one cares. Seems almost like a smokescreen. Whatever.

The NDAA just fucks up the US a litte bit more, SOPA fucks up the whole world, hence a massive global protest.

[Gez]

Remember how the Arab Spring was only successful because people could use Twitter, Facebook and other social networks to coordinate their moves and motivate each other into keeping up the fight?

Then you really shouldn't wonder why so many politicians are really favorable to something allowing them to censor the Internet and remotely disconnect entire sites at a whim.

[eargosedown]

FWIW, you can just disable javascript (in firefox, tools -> options -> content -> uncheck box) to view Wikipedia, no need for crazy workarounds.

[Chopkinsca]

To support this, I've changed my avatar to a black/white void to represent the emptyness of the internet should this bill be passed.

[Aliotroph?]

Danarchy said:

It's kind of funny because IIRC, SOPA died in the house and the president actually said he wouldn't write either bill into law. Meanwhile, while everyone is protesting SOPA, the NDAA which is 10x worse gets signed into law and no one cares. Seems almost like a smokescreen. Whatever.

I'm sure they fully intend to resurrect a version of it, or just tweak the senate version. Congress critters are not to be trusted.

[Vaporizer]

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