Win! Well, partial….DNS pulled from SOPA (for now)

from JoeUser Forums

 

Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Lamar Smith (R- TX) announced that the provision requiring ISPs to block access to overseas Web sites accused of piracy has been yanked from SOPA.

This is a major victory for the tech sector since this provision required changes to the Domain Name System (DNS) blocking provision which would have destabilized the web.

"After consultation with industry groups across the country," Smith said in a statement released by his office. "I feel we should remove (DNS) blocking from the Stop Online Piracy Act so that the [U.S. House Judiciary] Committee can further examine the issues surrounding this provision… We will continue to look for ways," Smith continued, "to ensure that foreign Web sites cannot sell and distribute illegal content to U.S. consumers."

This happened because the backers of PIPA reversed their position on the DNS provision in the proposed bill. This reversal came from Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) (chief sponsor of PIPA) which is basically a bill heavily supported by the music and film industries, but both left an ‘out’ in which they stated the DNS provision (which turned the ISP’s into ‘enforcers’) might be reinstated in a modified or different form later. PIPA was blocked from going to the Senate for a vote by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) who also held up COICA last year which caused PIPA to come about.

What they aren’t talking about is whether they would also remove the provision that required an ISP to employ other censoring methods. The proposed bill still requires search engines to remove the suspected pirate sites from their searches and credit card companies and on-line ad services from partnering with them by allowing “rights holders” to seek injunctions to enforce that. In DMCA, “rights holders” already have the ability to demand search engines to stop displaying search results linking to infringing sites. Only the government gets the DNS-blocking powers.

The Government has been invoking asset-forfeiture law to seize generic top level domains of infringing sites (and only after warrants are ordered by a court) in “Operation in Our Sites” in which DHS targeted 128 sites.

The tech sector essentially was unified in its opposition to the DNS provision of SOPA… except for GoDaddy which felt the consumer displeasure for its stand.

The fight is far from over.

Sources:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/05/blacklisting-law-advances/

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/dns-sopa-provision/

http://www.zdnet.com/news/dns-provision-pulled-from-sopa-victory-for-opponents/6339421

100,093 views 51 replies
Reply #1 from Demigod Forums Top

woooot, im wet.

so in lame terms, whats next and what can I do to help?

 

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

1. Dry off.  ;)

2. Stay aware by following the news about SOPA/PIPA  and make your voice known.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Two petitions (should be called 'request for explanation') that went through https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petition-tool/petitions

'veto sopa bill and any other future bills threaten diminish free flow information'

'stop e parasite act'

You can read the drivel response at the end ... think they believe their own BS <_<

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Unfortunately the "we the people" platform has always been filled with useless arrogant pandering statements, usually telling you why you're wrong or why they're already committed to the cause.

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

2 find again

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Sorry to rain on your parade guys but this is actually a curse in disguise.

The only reason they are delaying it is because of the election and not because it needs revision.  If SOPA/PIPA had passed, it would have had a major effect on the election and resulting public awareness increases would have made it nearly impossible to pass any near future attempts.  Why?  Well the first thing our most corrupt politicians would have done is abuse the hell out of their new toy to win.  Eventually someone gets caught and the rest is history.

One of the biggest problems at home is we vote on party first and on principle last.  Therefor all issues like SOPA/PIPA are identified as unimportant.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting RogueCaptain, reply 6
One of the biggest problems at home is we vote on party first and on principle last.
End of RogueCaptain's quote

Might be true for some, but I vote for whom I really like.

Problem is, he's the Prime Minister of Canada and that selfish Hankers (yes, I blame Hankers!) won't give me him.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 7
Might be true for some, but I vote for whom I really like.

Problem is, he's the Prime Minister of Canada and that selfish Hankers (yes, I blame Hankers!) won't give me him.
End of DrJBHL's quote

 

Nice to see some love for Harper south of the border.  There seems to be enough hate for the man up here which seems crazy to say the least especially since most of the Harper-hate is about "potential".  People are hating on the guy up here largely because they "think" he might do something they won't like, not even because he already has.   Sigh......it's such bullshit these days.  You can be hated for something you haven't even done yet.  Just for the existence of said potential.........

 

The main reason I voted Harper again was because unlike most other politicians he has done 2 very important things for me:

1.  He kept a campaign promise the first time around (especially important since he didn't even have a majority that time).  He promised he would reduce our GST by 2 points, He did exactly that.  (Yes I'm aware it was in fact the conservative party that introduced the GST in the first place, but you can't tell me the liberal party didn't benefit all those years it was in power from the nice cash windfall the GST created).

2.  Harper is first and foremost a businessman and as such will always try to run our country like a business.  That more than any other reasons was the deciding factor for me why he will always have my vote.  A man who is willing to make hard decisions (decisions which could and usually do make him unpopular with those unfamiliar with "the big picture") for the greater good of our nation and the world.

 

Here's hoping our country remains under his stewardship a while longer.  It will take a few more years to recover from the the "liberal agenda".  O:)

 

 

EDIT:

Oh and DOC........sorry for the OT......just had to comment on your comment.......didn't intend for my reply to be so "wordy" though.  Sorry about that.

Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

This is a great victory! Or at least I will assume it is. I remember seeing the Angry Brit ranting on about this, but a lot of seemed like "worse case scenario" stuff. However, I'm never a fan of giving any government more power, so Power to the People and keep up the good fight!

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

When it comes to things that have the potential to be abused so easily, I think it is better to assume that it WILL be a close to worst case scenario.  After all, one thing that history has taught us, is that when there is a big potential for power to be abused, it always is.

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

it usually is
End of quote

I would go with "always".

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting the_Monk, reply 8
Oh and DOC........sorry for the OT.
End of the_Monk's quote

No problem.

Are there laws against cloning up there?

If there are, we'll just have to snatch him, I'm afraid. That's some change I can believe in. ;)

 

Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top

It's too sudden a "reversal" with no clear reason other than "behind the door" politics to cheer for this yet.

FYI--I reside in Michigan and was on speaking terms with one of our senior senators for awhile.  I emailed him regarding net neutrality a few years back and the reply he sent me was essentially:

"I completely agree the internet should remain free and open, therefore I can not in good conscience support a bill legislating this as it would be government legislation, not freedom."
End of quote

I've had to paraphrase this as I was so insulted by this double-talk I crumpled the letter up and threw it away.  I have since wished I had saved it so I could have posted it on the net.  It gives you the idea who's side they are on.

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

Well, I don't think people against the bills will stop fighting against them just yet.

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

 

Quoting Sinperium, reply 14
It gives you the idea whose side they are on.
End of Sinperium's quote

The side which will get them the most money and freebies, of course. You thought otherwise?

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

I think it's best to go for the throat here and try to get something solid that won't allow corporate welfare to Hollywood and big media.

 

I'm all for protecting IP rights, but not on the backs of civil liberties and the innocent.

 

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Alstein, reply 18
I think it's best to go for the throat here and try to get something solid that won't allow corporate welfare to Hollywood and big media.

 

I'm all for protecting IP rights, but not on the backs of civil liberties and the innocent.

 
End of Alstein's quote

Agreed. Even when legislation is well crafted, there will be problems and exceptional circumstances. The proposed legislation is so faulty however, that it should be scrapped and redone correctly.

Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 19
it should be scrapped and redone correctly
End of DrJBHL's quote

Implies that shit can be made to taste good.  Not buyin' it.

Reply #21 from Elemental Forums Top

I wish we could just have our Navy SEALs shoot internet pirates too.

Reply #23 from Elemental Forums Top

The thing is, if this fails, they'll try again and keep trying- folks have to stay vigilant and militant on this.  The megacorps only have to win once, the citizenry has to win every time.

 

 

Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top

The whole thing has to be killed or they will probably take out the "controversial" portions to pass it, and once they have the framework set up, they will slip all the bad stuff back in there later on... most likely on Christmas eve.