Just a heads up that tonight the site will be blacked out as a sign of protest towards SOPA/PIPA and all similar bills internationally.
I don’t normally talk about political things here but this is such an important situation that directly effects both this site and the internet at large.
While these bills are specifically American there have been similar censorship talks here in Aus and I believe that this is something that would effect everyone worldwide.
I have problems putting my thoughts together as eloquently as others do on this topic because it’s a difficult and complex issue. I think this video explains things quite well though.
I believe in copyright laws what I don’t believe in is vaguely worded laws which leave so much room for interpretation. Rules need to be clearly defined so people can follow them and not able to be changed when it’s convenient. And I think having no recourse for site owners or expecting them to check EVERY single page in every single site they link for its content is absolutely ridiculous.
A while ago there was talk within Australia of an internet filter controlled by keywords. This isn’t one of those “oh it won’t effect me” things, if the government decided to block the word “lolita” for it’s negative connotations that would absolutely effect both myself and so many people I know. This kind of thing would have direct effects on sites I love and use every single day.
This is not the right way to do things.
Here is a list of sites with posts explaining things in more coherent detail:
- Smart Bitches Trashy Novels Blacking Out To Protest SOPA/PIPA <- Sarah writes exactly what I couldn’t put into words.
- http://americancensorship.org/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Learn_more
