Posted on January 26, 2012 – 11:09 in Features | Steven
A Discourse On SOPA
Ever since word got out about the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act being put forth to the American Congress, the internet has been inflamed with what seems to be the end battle of all battles to protect the freedom we have all come accustomed with. I have been thinking about SOPA, it’s reason, effects and so on for the last couple of weeks, months really and in all honesty I still cannot come to one clear result. There are so many sides to this story that I think a definite, never changing stance is nothing short of bullshit. Of one point I am certain though: there is not a single good reason for this law to pass and as it is now, I am with all my heart and strength against this.
To start, two aspects of this story got my attention. One, the implications within the proposed bills text. To summarize, the bill aims to protect American Intellectual Property by allowing the US Attorney General, without proof or/and a trial on that matter and on the sheer suggestion of, to force a service provider like Comcast to prevent access to a website within five days, if it is suspected of containing copyright infringing material.
At the core, the idea is novel- whilst I disagree that online Piracy is killing the distribution channels and profits of the entertainment industry, protecting intellectual property is at its core a positive act. However, it is the vague wording that scares me, since, there needs to be NO PROOF for the AG to shut down your site. Just the suspicion. No trial is necessary. Your site merely needs to be suspected.
Now, in an ideal world, this could almost work, IF and only IF we have honest, neutral decision makers in charge. Let’s be blunt about it- it doesn’t matter what country you are from- there are no honest & neutral people in government positions around the world. Every single one of those puppets is bought, paid for, in charge because of ego and money and they are by no means to be trusted, with anything. Even though that is a different discussion worth having, the track record of every politician in the western world is so poor that this bill needs to be stopped purely because of this. Those in charge are unfit to be in charge. Period.