[paraclete]

Well maybe it did for you but it didn't for me. I couldn't contact a few favourite sites but generally you could not tell the difference. What a useless protest and about what? That an IP didn't want the responsibility for having to take down those obnoxious sites or that a government shouldn't have the right and ability to regulate what is essentially commerce

[tomder55]

It was much bigger than that . I am the first one to defend intellectual property rights... but the bills proposed would give the US government the power to censor content on the net... way too much power .

Giving the federal government regulatory control of the Internet, as in authoritarian regimes such as China and Iran, is not the answer to online piracy...

Would sites that disseminated leaked emails on Operation Fast and Furious or documents exposing politically connected donors getting stimulus cash also become subjected to government wrath?

Could greenies shut down sites advocating more drilling?

Could gun-control advocates target sites promoting the Second Amendment?

In the "Alice in Wonderland" world of SOPA and PIPA, it would be accusation first, trial later.

http://news.investors.com/Article.as...1&p=1&ibdbot=1

Also consider this... SOPA and PIPA will fall under the Commerce Department. But under the President consolidation plan , that that will be merged under 1 'agency' under the control of the Executive.

This would theoretically give the President carte blanche control over net content.

[ebaines]

I have been very disappointed by the web protest in two ways:

1. I was disappointed at how little useful information was put out as to why the internet bigwigs are against the bills. Lots of fear mongering - "It will ruin the internet!" "Censorship!" "The sky is falling!" but no explanation as to what specifically the problems with the bills are. I know that if I were Google or AOL or Wikipedia I'd be against the bills because they would raise my costs and I'm sure would be a pain to implement. But why should the average law-abiding web user care? That's what has not been explained.

2. This is a political issue, and I think it is totally inappropriate for web sites that are not in the business of posting entertainment content to join in the blackout. I get it that companies like Google, AOL and Wikipedia are concerned, but SOPA and PIPA would not affect AMHD in the least. Supporting the protest turns sites like this from being focused on sharing information into political advocacy.

[paraclete]

The result is interesting, like OWS the politicians listened and retreated, so the big money lobbies lost and that is an important step

[tomder55]

OWS ? Not even close . Part of the problem with OWS is that their message is incoherent.. This protest had a specific target.
At best one could say OWS has people talking leftist language with terms like 'income inequity ' and 'vulture capitalism' ( Rick Perry who's political fortunes went nowhere despite his new populist rhetoric)

[paraclete]

Vulture capitalism, fits Romney to a tee. Their message might have been incoherent but they picked their target well. No doubt the web protest will feature in future protests now the model has been shown to work and more effective than camping in parks

[tomder55]

Romney could easily smack that Marxist slur down .
The problem with Romney is that he doesn't vigorously defend a free market economy .

[Curlyben]

You know why it didn't have the dramatic effect everyone was hoping for.
They didn't have, Gort...

[paraclete]

Romney could easily smack that Marxist slur down .
The problem with Romney is that he doesn't vigorously defend a free market economy .

Marxist slur? You use it for one capitalist but won't let it fall at the feet of someone it fits. A free market economy doesn't need defending it stands or falls on its own merits. At the moment it is being propped up with massive government debt. On the one hand you defend a free market and on the other you defend government intervention.

[tomder55]

Show me where I defend gvt intervention .

Klaatu barada nikto!

[paraclete]

So Tom you are telling me that Romney should defend the free market with a load of verbal diarrhea? That this is somehow a display of leadership qualities?

I think this is why you guys are in the mess you are; too much verbal diarrhea

[tomder55]

Guess you didn't get the Gort reference .