Pied Type
SOPA/PIPA
SOPA/PIPA victory: Behind the scenes
OpenCongress.org played a big role in the success of the Internet’s Stop SOPA movement. This is their wrap-up of how we and they succeeded: Last month’s flurry of Stop-PIPA & Stop-SOPA online protests were an apex of activity for OpenCongress. Not only was January 18th, 2012 the single-highest day of traffic on OC since our … Continue reading
Twitter caves on censorship overseas
Twitter has announced it will self-censor itself in foreign countries to satisfy the laws of those nations. Or, as Bloomberg, reports it, Twitter “gave itself extra flexibility to censor…” The New York Times calls it micro-censorship. Whatever, after the SOPA/PIPA fight in this country to prevent Internet censorship, it is particularly discouraging to read that … Continue reading
SOPA/PIPA status report
RE SOPA/PIPA legislation, Congress.org has run a nice little summation. But stay tuned and stay connected. Expect SOPA/PIPA 2.0 in the future. And be ready with Stop SOPA/PIPA 2.0.
The long arm of U.S. copyright law
My, my, how convenient. What fortuitous timing. A major Internet file-sharing site based in Hong Kong, Megaupload.com, was shut down yesterday, just a day after America’s anti-SOPA/PIPA blackout. New Zealand authorities arrested the site’s founder, Kim Dotcom, a dual citizen of Finland and Germany living in New Zealand, for violation of U.S. copyright laws. If that … Continue reading
Reid yields, postpones Senate’s PIPA vote
Woot! Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has buckled and postponed the U.S. Senate vote on PIPA originally scheduled for next Tuesday! Details at PCWorld and elsewhere. All the “shelving” and “postponing” of SOPA/PIPA legislation is probably just a maneuver, waiting for the heat and attention to fade, before reviving the censorship efforts. But for the … Continue reading
SOPA/PIPA protest: 4.5 million signed Google petition
The LA Times reported some of the numbers we, the SOPA/PIPA opposition, accrued on Wednesday’s day of protest. Avaaz.org reported 1.458 million signatures (now 2.3 million and still climbing) on their petition. Sopastrike.com and AmericanCensorship.org, both run by Fight for the Future, reported that at least 350,000 million people sent emails to Congress through their … Continue reading
The Great American Blackout: It’s not over yet
Apologies to those readers inconvenienced when I failed to take down my blackout screen last night. I’d intended to do it at midnight (MT), but forgot. Midnight is not my brightest hour. I can’t remember the last time I was so excited about being a part of something big — really big — and important. … Continue reading
The Day the LOLcats Died
Just want to spotlight (for after the blackout) a clever little anti-censorship video, The Day the LOLcats Died. The video appears today on I Can Haz Cheeseburger, mecca for lovers of cats and humor. It asks a pivotal question: “Why, why are laws a thing you can buy?”
Way to go, Wikipedia!
Wow, check out that gorgeous Wikipedia blackout page (assuming you’re not in the Eastern time zone)! I’m actually a little misty eyed …
Leahy claims blackout sponsors ‘misunderstand’ PIPA legislation
A Politico post this evening quotes Sen. Patrick Leahy, (D-VT), author of the Senate’s Protect IP Act (PIPA), who issued a dismissive statement today. Referring to Wikipedia, Reddit, and other companies supporting tomorrow’s Internet blackout, he said: Perhaps if these companies would participate constructively, they could point to what in the actual legislation they contend … Continue reading
Finally, a WordPress setting for SOPA blackout!
WordPress.com has finally installed and announced an option that gives you a way to blackout your blog tomorrow for The Great American SOPA/PIPA Blackout. It will also put a protest ribbon on each page of your blog until January 24, the day the Senate is scheduled to vote on PIPA. Just go to Dashboard > … Continue reading
SOPA, PIPA: We WILL be heard
In addition to information and links about SOPA and PIPA, the following quotation appears on an Anonymous website: I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not … Continue reading
Wikipedia explains its planned blackout
As you know, Wikipedia (English version) is joining the SOPA blackout tomorrow. You might be interested in reading their explanation/rationale and perhaps adding a comment to thank them.
Wikipedia to go dark
According to the Huffington Post, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has announced his site will go dark Wednesday in support of the Stop SOPA blackout. That ought to get some attention.
Let’s bury SOPA and PIPA
For several days, word has been circulating that SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) has been “shelved” in the House pending consensus on its more controversial provisions. However, PIPA (Protect IP Act) is alive and well in the Senate and Harry Reid still plans to call for a vote on it on January 24. It appears … Continue reading
How to blackout your WP blog on January 18
I started a bit of a discussion over on the WordPress forums about how to blackout my blog on January 18 in support of the Reddit blackout and other protests against SOPA and PIPA. One of the suggestions will put a little diagonal banner in the upper right corner of your screen that links to … Continue reading
Stop SOPA gravatar
Here’s another idea for the Stop SOPA protests: Once you’ve changed your Twitter icon, which will include a chance to download it, you can upload it to use as your Gravatar. I’ve also uploaded it to use as my IM avatar and Facebook pic.
Join webwide SOPA, PIPA protests
Help spread the word and voice your opposition to SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act). If you use Twitter, you can go to BlackoutSOPA.org, change your Twitter pic to a Stop SOPA badge (your choice of three designs), and let your followers know how you feel. Come on, people. Big Money … Continue reading
Internet censorship looms large
SOPA. PIPA. I’ve written about them before. I’m writing about them again. The Senate votes on a motion to begin debate on PIPA (the Protect IP Act or Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011) January 24, and by all accounts, the bill will pass. It and … Continue reading
At last: Reverse robocalls
Apparently I’m the last person in the world to hear about an outfit called Reverse Robocall. But it seems it provides a way for you to place your own robocalls to supporters of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). A story on Ars Technica has all the details and links. … Continue reading
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