For those of you, like myself, who believe in a free uncensored Internet that can responsibly understand what the words "fair use" really mean, and that don't want a bunch of suits in Hollywood as your totalitarian Internet bullies, what we saw Wednesday online was a beautiful thing. It took the war against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) to the people. They got the message, and politicians, at least for today, got it too. Some of the sponsors of these bills ran away from it like it was toxic. Public support against these initiatives reached its first tipping point. The online world spoke and gave the world our version of a Million Man March.
You probably feel vindicated, satisfied, maybe a little happy to see what you view as the comeuppance of Hollywood. But beware, this was the opening salvo, the war has merely begun.
I mean, you didn't forget that you're fighting with politicians and Hollywood lawyers, did you?
Here's the thing. There are still plenty of politicians who were very quiet today who would still be more than happy to vote yes to these bills. Their pockets are lined, and after today, I'm sure a few more bucks will head their way to ensure they're willing to stay the course. These men and women might even let the bills by these names die, spin them another way, drop provisions into other bills, you name it. Washington thinks it's smarter than you. Prove them otherwise.
Those lawyer types? The RIAA and MPAA dudes? They will do anything and everything to get these rules passed, and they really don't care what you think. RIAA lawyers were clowning the blackout of Wikipedia today, for crying out loud! Their reasoning on your media almost sounds like Chicago politics … If you don't pay once, pay twice (and we may still sue you). They may never give a crap what you say, but public opinion, and your pocket book to not support artists via their old traditional methods, that might get their attention. New models like Netflix and Spotify good, old models like iTunes and 99 cents per song, bad.
And, let's not forget, you have one atomic bomb left in your arsenal: a vote. It's an election year, even President Obama gets this by coming out and saying he would not approve SOPA as it stands now. Everyone knows that if they convince you at a surface level that they see your pain, you won't sway that vote. All I'll say is, use that bullet wisely.
So with the opening salvo, our Battle of Normandy if you will, in the books, do these three things. One, keep pounding the phones and emails of your lawmakers to remind them that these bills need to die. Second, stay in tune with sites like the EFF which will make sure to inform you when shady tactics are in play, and trust me, they will be. Third, use that vote in your primary and in November. Be willing to make this a top issue, and do your research to see how a lawmaker's stance has evolved, and vote accordingly. That's of course never a promise that the next guy will do better, but it beats the alternative.
So lace up your boots, and get out of your corner. This Ironman Match just started!
SOPA / PIPA Didn’t End Wednesday, The War Shall Rage
For those of you, like myself, who believe in a free uncensored Internet that can responsibly understand what the words "fair use" really mean, and that don't want a bunch of suits in Hollywood as your totalitarian Internet bullies, what we saw Wednesday online was a beautiful thing. It took the war against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) to the people. They got the message, and politicians, at least for today, got it too. Some of the sponsors of these bills ran away from it like it was toxic. Public support against these initiatives reached its first tipping point. The online world spoke and gave the world our version of a Million Man March.
You probably feel vindicated, satisfied, maybe a little happy to see what you view as the comeuppance of Hollywood. But beware, this was the opening salvo, the war has merely begun.
I mean, you didn't forget that you're fighting with politicians and Hollywood lawyers, did you?
Here's the thing. There are still plenty of politicians who were very quiet today who would still be more than happy to vote yes to these bills. Their pockets are lined, and after today, I'm sure a few more bucks will head their way to ensure they're willing to stay the course. These men and women might even let the bills by these names die, spin them another way, drop provisions into other bills, you name it. Washington thinks it's smarter than you. Prove them otherwise.
Those lawyer types? The RIAA and MPAA dudes? They will do anything and everything to get these rules passed, and they really don't care what you think. RIAA lawyers were clowning the blackout of Wikipedia today, for crying out loud! Their reasoning on your media almost sounds like Chicago politics … If you don't pay once, pay twice (and we may still sue you). They may never give a crap what you say, but public opinion, and your pocket book to not support artists via their old traditional methods, that might get their attention. New models like Netflix and Spotify good, old models like iTunes and 99 cents per song, bad.
And, let's not forget, you have one atomic bomb left in your arsenal: a vote. It's an election year, even President Obama gets this by coming out and saying he would not approve SOPA as it stands now. Everyone knows that if they convince you at a surface level that they see your pain, you won't sway that vote. All I'll say is, use that bullet wisely.
So with the opening salvo, our Battle of Normandy if you will, in the books, do these three things. One, keep pounding the phones and emails of your lawmakers to remind them that these bills need to die. Second, stay in tune with sites like the EFF which will make sure to inform you when shady tactics are in play, and trust me, they will be. Third, use that vote in your primary and in November. Be willing to make this a top issue, and do your research to see how a lawmaker's stance has evolved, and vote accordingly. That's of course never a promise that the next guy will do better, but it beats the alternative.
So lace up your boots, and get out of your corner. This Ironman Match just started!
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