Blackouts.

[dodger_sister]

Today major sites across the internet are going blackout to protest two bills, SOPA and PIPA. Both of these bills threaten to shut down the internet and the right to free speech in an attempt to stop online piracy. SOPA and PIPA are serious threats to the internet. Under the loose wording of these bills, Livejournal wouldn't last a day. And honestly, once we do this in America, how long before other countries follow suit - countries that need these sites for much needed reform?

For more, go here and see the official stance from Livejournal. (though I do kind of wish they had blacked-out too, just so we could all see how deranged we would become without it for one day, let alone forever).

Go here to Wikipedia and see the one and only English-page visible today - Wiki's stance on SOPA and PIPA. For US citizens, this page also offers you the option of putting in your zip code and finding the information for your local representatives.

If you want a really good write-up of how these bills will kill the internet, The BFF sent me this fantastic article yesterday. If you only click one of these links I am offering you, Click This One. How SOPA and PIPA will land us all in federal-pound-me-in-the-ass prison.

Lastly, Write To Your Representatives. Wikipedia informs me that my local rep has a Twitter, so I'll be sure to point out to him how Twitter will be gone in a heartbeat.


Now I must go lie down. I have a really bad stomach ache. I hope Kevin didn't get me sick.

Comments

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

It was weird because I pulled up my Flist and the last post was about "Justified". Then I typed up my post on SOPA/PIPA and clicked 'save' and when I looked, suddenly in between the Justified post and my own post were two more write-ups on SOPA/PIPA - one from you and one from misslucyjane. I just found that kind of funny, for one because every time I make a post, there is a post from you either right before it or right after it, like we are on the same posting schedule. But also because I met you through LucyJane's LJ. And we were all posting about these bills at the same time. I don't know why that amused me so much.

I read your blog post and I have to say, tracing links and sources is something I hadn't heard mentioned before in this argument. And you are right about it too - I so often do that when I find something I like and want to learn more or even to find out where I can purchase whatever it is. That's something I hadn't thought about yet in this whole thing - just goes to show there are a number of problems with these bills that haven't even been considered yet.

[ceitfianna]

I never realized we posted about the same and I'm glad my post got you thinking about some new things with the bills.

I've always found the idea of linking fascinating and this was a great way to talk about it as it really is why the internet is powerful.