Team-BHP - SOPA & PIPA : Stop Online Piracy Act & Protect IP Act

Hi Everyone!

I'm not sure how many of you are aware that wikipedia is down today to protest against SOPA & PIPA. SOPA & PIPA are the new Internet usage control and regulations that govern what we do, with extreme punishment/fine if someone violates.

Though this hugely is about piracy, I feel it also violates our right of speech. Because what we post in discussion forums, facebook, twitter and other social networking sites would be closely monitored, it really would compromise on our right of speech. For example, similar posts regarding the Anna Hazare could result in the posters/participants being prosecuted.

Team-BHP being a reputed site being neutral to all car manufacturers, wont we be affected? If any of us posts our issues with different vendors, issues etc., its quite possible the post could not only be deleted but the poster sued!:Shockked::Shockked:

Is there anything we could do on our part to maintain this site?

regards,

Nitin

Looks like it's lost some momentum in view of all the protests and awareness. Off topic, here is what I posted on my facebook last night

Quote:

Just glanced thru golden globe awards pics and suddenly SOPA makes all the sense in the world. These movie actors are starving, the women could barely cover themselves. They need their IP rights (and money) protected!

Go SOPA and PIPA!

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k (Post 2650817)

Looks like it's lost some momentum in view of all the protests and awareness. Off topic, here is what I posted on my facebook last night

I'm also posting the samething in my FB profile. Hope team-bhp is not affected to its freedom of speech!

SOPA stands for Stop Online Piracy Act

Just looking at the name, it sounds like something most of us would support, right?

HOWEVER, its the methods in which the online piracy can be stopped, and the power that the act gives big publishers etc that is scary and NOT good for the internet. Thats essentially what the act is about - and thats why so many people are against it.

Given the huge uprising against it (eg. wikipedia, google, etc blacking out parts of their sites), i'd really be surprised if it goes through.

cya
R

I havent yet been into the nitty gritties of this, but, if I read on a website by a reputed publisher and then post the same (with due credit) on Tbhp , will that be objected to ?
I guess some of the ISPs in the US already sent out warnings to subscribers who share files using torrents.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sajo (Post 2651555)

...if I read on a website by a reputed publisher and then post the same (with due credit) on Tbhp , will that be objected to ?...

I don't know the exact specifics either - but what everyone is up in arms about is that the publisher could in fact take down the ENTIRE SITE, if i'm not mistaken. This could even be if you post a video with a copyrighted song playing in the background.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durango Dude (Post 2651561)

I'd call it 'talibanisation' of the internet.

Trivia : Do you know that "taliban" means "students"?

cya
R

Read this public statement from thepiratebay, really worth reading.

http://static.thepiratebay.org/legal/sopa.txt

Quote:

INTERNETS, 18th of January 2012.
PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

Over a century ago Thomas Edison got the patent for a device which would "do for the eye what the phonograph does for
the ear". He called it the Kinetoscope. He was not only amongst the first to record video, he was also the first person
to own the copyright to a motion picture.

Because of Edisons patents for the motion pictures it was close to financially impossible to create motion pictures
in the North american east coast. The movie studios therefor relocated to California, and founded what we today call
Hollywood. The reason was mostly because there was no patent.
There was also no copyright to speak of, so the studios could copy old stories and make movies out of them - like
Fantasia, one of Disneys biggest hits ever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rehaan (Post 2651681)

So in that case, no one can even post a video of themselves singing their favorite (copyrighted) song on Youtube.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phamilyman (Post 2651718)

Its hilarious we are so worked up over what USA is doing. Did anyone here practically do anything when the Indian government brought their draconian IT laws?

Because most of us get our content off US based websites...thats why. :D

Also, this might give our trigger happy lawmakers stupid ideas, and its easier to pass a half baked internet related law in India than in the US.

There is a fine line between the right to information, and protecting the IPR. If one goes too far in either direction then chaos follows.

As for bureaucracy it is daft and dumb headed everywhere. I hope I do not get collared for letting out a state secret.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sajo (Post 2651697)

So in that case, no one can even post a video of themselves singing their favorite (copyrighted) song on Youtube.

This is correct.

There have already been several instances where :
a) Videos of kids singing certain pop songs have been sent take-down requests
b) Viral videos (showing all original content) were sent take-down requests because the TV was on in the distant background playing a song owned by a big publisher!

Quote:

Originally Posted by phamilyman (Post 2651718)

Its hilarious we are so worked up over what USA is doing.

Where is Team-BHP hosted? :p

That aside, i don't see anyone here getting worked up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgiitk (Post 2651808)

There is a fine line between the right to information, and protecting the IPR.

Agree. Though in this case a lot of other stuff is happening under a seemingly correct title of "protecting IP".

cya
R