Monday, January 23, 2012

#SOPA #PIPA #ACTA: The Internet War Has Begun! (updated)

- Dr. Diana Hsieh is responding to questions on #SOPA, Internet piracy, and intellectual property during her weekly live webcast Philosophy in Action. For links mentioned in the webcast, check the archive - H/t @YerRamautarsing Blog: Atlantis -

#SOPA (coincidentally Shut Up! in Greek) is in the intensive care unit of the US Congress (#SOPA in the House and the ugly twin Bill #PIPA in the Senate).
The European Bill is called #ACTA. It's such an appalling assault on liberty that even the EuroComiCzar for the Internet, Iron Lady Neelie Kroes has come out against it.

Read the Wiki about the content and present status of #ACTA.
What is this legislature all about? The protection of intellectual property rights of a value estimated to total $135billion a year. That is perfectly legitimate. The efforts of a musical prodigee do not belong to 'all of us' and certainly not to a communist empire that has no concept of human rights, let alone property rights. But as Diana Hsieh explains in the vid, this is like killing a nit with a wrecking ball.
Edward Jay Epstein on his blog The Hollywood Economist pictures a battle between the old media, collectively known as Hollywood, the music industry, the cable boys and the satellite lads on the one hand, and on the other Silicon Valley #Google garage geniuses online streamers #Apple #Amazon #Twits #Facebook social media. Also watch The Guardian video #SOPA4Dummies.
Amusing vid with epic ranter Rick Santelli, whose tirade "Stop Spending!!!" against Obama's Keynesian tax and spend policies, triggered the birth of the #TEAParty. Today he is targeting the alphabet soup of nanny state regulators.
#SOPA and #PIPA for now have been taken to the intensive care. A battle has been won. But rest assured that Chris Dodd and the MPAA, on behalf of the evil tinsel industry, will be nursing #SOPA/#PIPA back to life. To be continued. 
!! Updates
RT: "ACTA rejected by EU Parliament committees in crucial vote" (but not dead yet)
RT: Dead on arrival? Dutch Parliament kills ACTA before EU vote
Techdirt: "EU Rapporteur Deals Major Blow To ACTA: Recommends Rejection By European Parliament"
The Journal: "EU agrees on referral of ACTA to European Court of Justice" (Apr. 5, 2012)
Petitions for EU, Oz & NZ: Stop #ACTA
Merry Christmas ... ACTA has – officially – been in the works since 2008, and was signed by the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea in 2011.

Forget SOPA & PIPA. ACTA is ten times worse and already on its way to being passed
OMG! Poland signs #ACTA and defends stance on treaty after web attacks

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