The internet has been buzzing with anti-SOPA movements for a while now, but none like today. Many blogs and official web-sites alike, such as WikiPedia, have gone off-line in honor of today’s Internet Black Out protest. WikiPedia reads: “Imagine a world without free knowledge.”
You may have noticed that many of your favorite fan sites have also blacked out for the day, if not longer, in support of the protest against SOPA. Why should this be important to you? Well, quite frankly, if SOPA is approved when the U.S. Senate starts voting on the 24th then every single fan site for any actor, actress, musician, band, movie, television show, etc. will be deemed illegal and blocked by the government. There will be no more photo galleries, live streams, live blogging/tweeting, or, most important to me personally, social networks. Twitter, Tumblr, MySpace, YouTube, and even Facebook will be removed and banned in the United States due to the use of 3rd Party Content which is considered piracy and copyright infringement and therefore illegal.
Our economy is already suffering, not just in America any more but all across the world, think about what will happen if web-sites like YouTube, Facebook and MySpace have to shut down and lay off their entire staff both domestically and internationally?
Mark Zuckerberg posted an awesome statement on Facebook just a few moments ago which reads:
The internet is the most powerful tool we have for creating a more open and connected world.We can’t let poorly thought out laws get in the way of the internet’s development. Facebook opposes SOPA and PIPA, and we will continue to oppose any laws that will hurt the internet.
The world today needs political leaders who are pro-internet. We have been working with many of these folks for months on better alternatives to these current proposals. I encourage you to learn more about these issues and tell your congressmen that you want them to be pro-internet.
My personal opinion on SOPA is this: It is a lazy way for the government to control piracy. It’s a cop out. Unfortunately it is also an infringement on our rights as American citizens. It will be taking away our right to freedom of speech, our right and freedom to creativity, and our right and freedom to connect with the rest of the world as well as our own peers. They might as well ban cable television and cell phone service next.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
First of all: Stop pirating! Pay for movies, pay for music, don’t steal copyrighted photos and videos to share on your own web-sites. Fans are as much a part of the problem as the common thief, and this has to stop.
Second of all: Sign the petition!
Lastly? Share the petition on all of your social networking accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, your blog, MySpace, etc.
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