ACTA - Remember when you thought it was actually about counterfeiting? Yeah, that was a lie.

Nihilist wrote:

I'm worried about this- not so much about downloading software, music or movies- I can do without that- but to have my opinion suppressed, and likely have sites like ours shut down? Not so good. I'm sure there are people on both the left and right wing that are willing to defend the freedom of speech in this regard.

Of course there are. If/when freedom of speech is suspended, whichever side is in power at the time is going to shut down the other side's ability to express themselves. And then we're really screwed. So yes, responsible persons from both sides do have a vested interest in making sure free speech stays free.

I am replying to a post of yours that I agreed with. See, I am doing it. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Cyberwulf wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

I sometimes wonder if that fucking monkey is actively trying to screw up EVERYTHING. Shit like this can't be due to stupidity, he learned to speak English, he isn't THIS stupid.

Which "fucking monkey" who "learned to speak English" is that, Mikey?

Also - we can rate posts now? Well golly Nihl, why don't you just put some of those plus and minus buttons under everyone's userpic so we can really turn the board into a fucking popularity contest?

I'm sorry if that was vague, I meant Obama.

And I'm with you on this +/- bullshit. I'm glad to see it went away, that didn't last long at all. I was fixing to get a dozen sockpuppets and just start minusing everyone but myself, Skillet, and Narwhal ( ) for the lulz.

I can't believe Nihilist actually thought anything positive could have come from something as moronic as that.

I started a petition:

Stop the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Act!

Lady Anne wrote:

I started a petition:

Stop the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Act!

Name one marginally important thing an online petition has ever achieved. Don't worry, I'll wait.

I know you're trying, but I'd think it'd just be more effective to start stabbing random people and stapling an essay on why this is VERY BAD AND UNGOOD onto their chests.

AND YOU WILL NOW BE MS BLAIR!

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Lady Anne wrote:

I started a petition:

Stop the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Act!

Name one marginally important thing an online petition has ever achieved. Don't worry, I'll wait.

I know you're trying, but I'd think it'd just be more effective to start stabbing random people and stapling an essay on why this is VERY BAD AND UNGOOD onto their chests.

AND YOU WILL NOW BE MS BLAIR!

I know online petitions generally don't help much, but my main goal is to spread awareness. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.

Stabbing random people? Nah. Too much trouble. Instead, find the people who think this treaty is a good idea and pin signs to their backs that say ACTA SUPPORTER. PLEASE KICK ME. Then hack into their computers and change all their filenames to those of copyrighted works. Finally, complain three times to their ISPs that they're violating copyright. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I've been gone this weekend, so I just saw this article. This just makes me rage to no end. I really shouldn't read shit like this right before I go to bed.

Here's a pretty good summary of exactly what's going onl. It's pretty dry, but it's a very accurate and sober look at the agreement.

None of us are rich enough for our opinions to matter. Just bend over and take it.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Cyberwulf wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

I sometimes wonder if that fucking monkey is actively trying to screw up EVERYTHING. Shit like this can't be due to stupidity, he learned to speak English, he isn't THIS stupid.

Which "fucking monkey" who "learned to speak English" is that, Mikey?

I'm sorry if that was vague, I meant Obama.

Would you like more rope or do you have enough?

I'm still not so sure what they're trying to achieve with this, and as far as the ISPs' stakes in this go, it seems rather self-defeating to me. After all, just about all high speed ISPs would lose between 75 and 90% of their clientele if they seriously went after everyone who illegally downloads stuff (because let's face it, the people who have NEVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS saved a copyrighted picture, sound file or video clip to their computer are a dying breed, if they haven't been dead as a dodo since 1998 already). I mean, COME ON, Comcast and friends, do you REALLY think all those people are paying your overpriced fees in order to read their E-Mails or download a picture of their grandmother's brother's nephew's son faster?

Fan-sites may not always advertise what a fandom WANTS to be known for, but they do advertise. They spread awareness of the fandom, whether it sucks or not. And they do it for free - no, LESS than free, they PAY to advertise (admittedly the people they pay are ISPs, but hell).

Most copywriters would be kicking themselves in the ass with this bill. It's THEIR job to enforce copywrite if they don't like their work being used in AMVs and on sites.

The Music Industry is probably slavering at the mouth over this, but they're the only ones who will see any real benefit - and selling music on CDs is pretty much dead as it is.

And if they ever complain that the singers aren't getting paid because we're stealing their work, maybe they should give a commission that means something even without a record going Gold.

Any word on how Google is responding to this?

Harley Quinn hyenaholic wrote:

The Music Industry is probably slavering at the mouth over this, but they're the only ones who will see any real benefit - and selling music on CDs is pretty much dead as it is.

Mm, yes, that must be why they keep pressing albums.

Mafiosa wrote:

Any word on how Google is responding to this?

Hysterical laughter?

Knorg wrote:

Mafiosa wrote:

Any word on how Google is responding to this?

Hysterical laughter?

Maybe they'll change the Google banner to a giant "FUCK YOU".

[Never mind]

Metal Gear Solid 2 said this would happen.

Funny fact in all of this though... we've actually had something like this in Sweden for a while - though not as strict, but it is illegal to download movies etc and there's a special commission set up to actually spy on "suspected activity" online (hoo boy) - and the people who are working with actively pursuing all them darn illegal downloaders are constantly pissy because NOBODY wants to help them. The broadband companies have refused to hand out info on IP adresses or simply lowered the amount of time time they store it before destroying that info altogether - Telia (which used to belong to the government not long ago, mind you) is down to three days before erasing.

Of course, the result is that tracks of people who actually do criminal things online are also erased, making police work with that more complicated. Waaay to go.

Manny wrote:

Metal Gear Solid 2 said this would happen.

Where are my walking death tanks Manny! WHERE!

Nevvy wrote:

Funny fact in all of this though... we've actually had something like this in Sweden for a while - though not as strict, but it is illegal to download movies etc and there's a special commission set up to actually spy on "suspected activity" online (hoo boy) - and the people who are working with actively pursuing all them darn illegal downloaders are constantly pissy because NOBODY wants to help them. The broadband companies have refused to hand out info on IP adresses or simply lowered the amount of time time they store it before destroying that info altogether - Telia (which used to belong to the government not long ago, mind you) is down to three days before erasing.

Of course, the result is that tracks of people who actually do criminal things online are also erased, making police work with that more complicated. Waaay to go.

When you put it that way, it sounds like the government sort of cut off their nose to spite their face.

...All of a sudden, I truly believe this shit. This sounds exactly like something our government would do, while Comcast and Google laughed hysterically and shut the door in their face.

Don't put so much faith in these companies. They're not as noble as you'd like to think.

I never thought they were noble. I think they're selfish bastards who don't give a fuck about what they're told to do, and are going to go to the profits, laws be damned.

Lapin wrote:

I never thought they were noble. I think they're selfish bastards who don't give a fuck about what they're told to do, and are going to go to the profits, laws be damned.

And herein lies our only real say in the matter. Obviously, whoever we vote for is going to go ahead and try to foist this bullshit on us (even if we vote for CHANGE). So vote with your dollars.

Nevvy wrote:

Funny fact in all of this though... we've actually had something like this in Sweden for a while - though not as strict, but it is illegal to download movies etc and there's a special commission set up to actually spy on "suspected activity" online (hoo boy) - and the people who are working with actively pursuing all them darn illegal downloaders are constantly pissy because NOBODY wants to help them. The broadband companies have refused to hand out info on IP adresses or simply lowered the amount of time time they store it before destroying that info altogether - Telia (which used to belong to the government not long ago, mind you) is down to three days before erasing.

Of course, the result is that tracks of people who actually do criminal things online are also erased, making police work with that more complicated. Waaay to go.

The companies refer to the Data Protection Directive - which protects personal integrity and makes sure that no one has the right to go through your personal data and/or register and use them in any way, unless you consent. Thus, backed by this law, it would actually be illegal for them to hand out people's data. Unless the police have a warranty, of course.

But yeah. The government really shot themselves in the foot with that whole law, and the great publicity around it only caused more people to vote for Piratpartiet, which ended with them getting a seat in the EU. Also, the police now have a much harder time investigating internet-based crimes, such as the creation and sharing of child porn.

Great going, schmucks.

If America made things too difficult for ISPs based in their country, the ISPs would just move to a country that didn't have such a jackass law.

Either way, they'd find a way around it. These companies have lawyers specially designed to deal with this sort of law. On the whole, nobody's really gonna benefit from this law. You'd think the government had more things to worry about than teenagers stealing music.

Yes some of it funds bigger criminal activities but it's probably easier to just shut down the criminal activities.

Or START MAKING MOVIES THAT ARE WORTH PAYING FOR.