Geek News: What Happens When Authorities Don't Understand Technology?

Nothing good, my digital darlings.  Get ready for increasing clashes of the geek culture war.  SOPA/PIPA was just one battle, since Luddite authorities have never let their own ignorance stand in the way of concocting idiotic, heavy-handed "responses" to things they don't understand.  Here's a bit from the linked post:

We've obviously been covering a lot about Aaron Swartz lately, but his case is really just one of many similar cases involving people in positions of authority who simply don't understand basic technology, but feel that something must be illegal because they try to overlay an analog view on a digital world.

Geek News: Senator Ron Wyden Slams Cybersecurity Legislation Proposals For Eroding Trust & Privacy

We killed SOPA/PIPA, but now there's CISPA with its assault on privacy.  Check out what Senator Wyden (D-Oregon) has to say: "CISPA is an example of what not to do."  Again: Privacy should be the default, not the exception.  Remember this?

Killing CISPA

Too much power.  You know, probably the most troubling thing about bills like this and SOPA/PIPA is how the people behind them seem to know/care waaaaay too little about the Internet, technology, reality, etc. and then get all defensive when actual geeks, nerds, and Internet users object.  Anyway, CISPA's pernicious:

What sparked the recent privacy outcry over CISPA -- including a petition signed by nearly 800,000 Internet users -- are portions of the law that would allow Internet companies to open their networks and customer databases to the Feds for cybersecurity purposes. 

Probably the most controversial section of CISPA says that "notwithstanding any other provision of law," companies may share information with Homeland Security, the IRS, or the National Security Agency. By including the word "notwithstanding," CISPA's drafters intended to make their legislation trump all existing federal and state laws, including ones dealing with wiretaps, educational records, medical privacy, and more.

Seriously?  Come on, Congress.  Orwell was meant as a cautionary tale, not a playbook.  So, sure, cybersecurity is a real issue, but we mustn't settle for horrible "solutions."

Too Much Copyright

Via Techdirt (with commentary) comes this video.  Look, nobody is advocating that it's OK to filch other people's stuff, but the point is that fair use is a legitimate concern for the consumer and the legal maximalist terms of copyright have become stupid and becoming stupider by the moment (cf. the recent SOPA/PIPA debacle with a side of censorship and entertainment industry shenanigans).

LOL: Proving a Point to the RIAA and MPAA

These are some of the entertainment industry folks who were for SOPA, remember?  Check out this counter-argument.

Content, Piracy, and Service Issues Yet Again

How many times do I have to say this?  SOPA/PIPA, ACTA, and all their poisonous ilk are not the solution.  The problem is the content industry, as always one beat behind the rest of the cultural band.  You'll recall this recent brilliant takedown too.

 

Ireland Signs Controversial "Irish SOPA" Into Law

Ugh.

ACTA: Europe's SOPA/PIPA (and Worse?)

What fresh hell is this? Well, it's really yet another iteration of old, old hell, but hell nonetheless.  See this too.

Protesting ACTA in Europe

ACTA, like SOPA/PIPA here in the US, is all too much about controlling the Internet.  I'm gratified to see that folks across the Atlantic are also pushing back.

Well, Duh: How to Combat Movie Piracy

Draconian attempts at legislation (*cough* SOPA/PIPA! *cough*) will not end piracy.  As I've said repeatedly, piracy is a service issue.  "Give the pirates some competition by providing something better."

The Pop Culture War: Hollywood Vs. the Internet

Hint: the Internet is winning.

SOPA Cartoon Commentary: Citizen Rights Online

SMBC has a great comic today.

Who Really Stopped SOPA

The Insta-Prof has a link.  Here's a great quotation:

The bitroots movement wasn’t led by Google. It wasn’t led by anyone. Even to look for its leaders is to miss the point. Internet users didn’t lobby or buy their way into influence. They used the tools at their disposal—Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter and the rest—to make their voices heard. They encouraged voluntary boycotts and blackouts, and organized awareness days. This was a revolt of, by and with social networks, turning the tools that organized them into groups in the first place into potent new weapons for political advocacy. The users had figured out how to hack politics.

INDEED.  We are Internet; hear us roar.  Besides, the grand point is that millions of ordinary people -- not professional lobbyists, corporate shills, or political players -- gave the wretched political establishment a good piece of our mind ... and it blinked.   The peasants revolted, much to Congress's surprise (and, I suppose, dismay).  

Post-SOPA, MPAA Head Admits, "We're Not Comfortable with the Internet."

Thanks, Captain Obvious.  See this infographic.  Look, people: in the marketplace, you innovate or die.  It's nothing personal -- it's just business.

Geek Icon Vs. Pro-SOPA MPAA and Politicians: A Rant

Yup, it's Wil Wheaton, and he's got something to say!

The Great Firewall of China and the "Preventing Piracy" Rationale

Well, DUH.  

"Welcome to the Party!": Larry Correia's SOPA Rant

Just read.  In fact, Correia (a published sci fi author) is always worth a look, as is fellow sci fi author John Scalzi (who, by the way, has his own SOPA rant).  I do like their books a lot too, so there's that.

Friday Fun Video: Taiwanese News Animators Vs. SOPA

Friday Fun: Philosoraptor and SOPA

The Internet meme ponders on:

Google Reports 7 Million Signatures on Anti-SOPA Petition

GOOD.  (Correction/Update: Now 7 million signatures.  An earlier report noted 4.5 million) Meanwhile, SOPA and PIPA are losing sponsors in Congress amid the rage of millions of nerds and geeks ... nerds and geeks who vote.  Ah, digital grassroots.


UPDATE: See this cool breakdown of who in Congress publicly supports or opposes SOPA/PIPA before and after the January protests.  Oh, I hope it's so.  I'm especially glad to see that Marco Rubio (R-Florida) has disavowed PIPA.  Meanwhile, other senators are running from PIPA like rats  Francesco Schettino from a sinking ship.  In current politics, all the GOP presidential candidates in the latest debate came out opposing SOPA/PIPA.  These bills have now become political Kryptonite.