The Stop Piracy Online Act and im@s requests/recording.

[chikorita157]

I'm worried about SOPA myself. I need to know now. What are the chances of it passing?

Considering that there has been a growing opposition in Congress after the Blackout, the chances of it even passing is dropping fast... Still, the battle is far from over and I'm planning to make and fax a letter to one of the senators who support the bill that I strongly oppose it. It will be fun.

[blake307]

I myself think this whole SOPA thing is bullshit. I think it's unfair that our internet freedom was being threatened just because the selfish and greedy assholes in the movie and music industry want more money and decide to try to take the internet away from us instead of finding better ways to fight piracy.

But at this point they would be really stupid to pass this bulls**t bill considering how much protest there was against the bill this week.

[kaeru-P]

http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/justice-department-charges-leaders-of-megaupload-with-widespread-online-copyright-infringement

Please consider the above.

I'll explain the specifics in a few days, and the consequences of the above (if the inditement is accepted as is by the US court system) which will prove to be rather... enlightening.

And this is before SOPA comes into play, boys and girls.

"dear lord of all the sites...." thats my initial reaction when I saw that this morning.... forgive me for my language but sh*t just got real, its official the US is declaring war on the internet, its sad that we have to suffer like this due to the greediness of some people, may hard lesson be learned from those greedy people once the people retaliate...

[animagic4u]

It's a commendable thought but poor execution.
I feel sorry for megaupload...I better illegally download a bunch of stuff I don't want just incase I end up wanting it, lol.

[kaeru-P]

GOOD NEWS PEOPLE, We have one the battle!!

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/internet-wins-sopa-and-pipa-both-shelved.ars

However we may have won the battle the WAR goes on but it is inevitable that this will continue, as being in the creative industry (or at least going into it) I can sympathize on some levels on how those people feel about piracy, piracy cannot be eradicated, that's just wishful thinking. So rather than finding useless means, such as this one. Use this issues such as piracy as a clutch on how you can SELL even better.

With that said its said we gained casualties such as Megaupload in the war, and although it was taken down WITHOUT Sopa in play, is something to think about.

For a victory theme I was going for Namco's Ace Combat 6's Liberation of Gracemaria but this felt of a more victory theme at the same time mocking one to the SOPA supporters  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQnEw4PsBK0

[Vampirekissux23]

I actually think that Namco knows about im@s(2) uploads in both, Youtube & Nico Nico Douga. I think Namco is the one who actually allowed the im@s(2) records.
But I hope everything will be fine. And I'm actually Romanian, I'm not American, but I love im@s(2).
And poor megaupload... Dx I HATE SOPA.

[iCONM@STER]

... ... What are the chances of it passing?

Statistics, polls, public deprecate, broad frowning, demonstrated cringe, reciprocal demagoguery; look at how NDAA H.R.1540.ENR passed.  It was essentially spawned in.  Correct me if my belief is void, I believe the same will occur for SOPA—it will simply pass, as a matter of time, inasmuch as the a fore bill.  Simply put, expect its revival, and with that, revised to better fit.  At which point it will be worse, in the light that there will be no argument against it.  Really, the Internet ought to be left as it is, constraint-free, I think.

[Setsuna]

... It's not over.

If only because, well look at the history of this thread. Wasn't it supposed to be over twice already? November? December, when the end of the year ran down?

I'm not a fan of the odds, but I've been in the political game for quite a while. I'm not seeing a victory, I'm seeing a setup.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:HR01981:@@@L&summ2=m&

This may or may not look familiar to you, only because I don't expect people to understand what they're looking at.

For those who may not know, The last time a similar bill passed - it magically (and I mean magically) gained copyright triggers. I believe the Alabama law did this as did a few others. In other cases, it was attached on as a 'rider' on other bills.

However, this is mostly a 'Keep an eye on it' situation. We might get lucky, but you know, if I could get lucky often enough, I would be playing the lottery...

As for Megaupload's FBI strike, it says two things.

a) It proves that you don't actually need SOPA to strike. In short, they were gunning for more power.

b) Well, I will quote the FBI for various bits of consideration.

Instead, the indictment alleges that the conspirators manipulated the perception of content available on their servers by not providing a public search function on the Megaupload site and by not including popular infringing content on the publicly available lists of top content downloaded by its users

That's an interesting argument to take - if they manage to make this accusation fly, we're in significant trouble, because essentially what's being claimed is 'No public search function = criminality by concealment'

That has bigger implications than one might first realise. It suggests that Safe Harbour provisions no longer apply, and all servers are required to sweep for content for IP infringements at all costs.

This would extend to cloud computing, and more worryingly, towards VPNs. This in turn would uh, cause... interesting questions for, well, nearly every major company on the planet. Namely this:

Why on earth would I rent server space, when that provider will demand (by fear of prosecution) they can examine my company's personal data and corporate secrets when I need a private WAN coupled with a VPN to have my accounting team work at home?

Or worse, I have to LIST it publicly so IP holders can confirm that my business isn't sending some TV show, and stuff like sensitive company documents become visible?

For example, when notified by a rights holder that a file contained infringing content, the indictment alleges that the conspirators would disable only a single link to the file, deliberately and deceptively leaving the infringing content in place to make it seamlessly available to millions of users to access through any one of the many duplicate links available for that file.

This second part is also interesting, due to the question of 'Is the FBI alleging how Megaupload worked was actually a scam?' Because how it was supposed to work is that you'd maintain your own personal upload, and that there could be (and probably was) multiple copies.

Either the FBI is alleging the files were NOT duplicated (Namely they checked and if matched, didn't actually store multiple duplicates of the same file.) or in legal terms, the FBI is alleging that it doesn't actually MATTER, and that Megaupload is required to sweep for data matches.

There are however mitigating factors, and furthermore, we have to see in the resulting court case how they are going to exactly structure their argument.

Still, how the FBI structured its argument is very, VERY interesting...

[animagic4u]

...??

Dang it. I thought it was dropped for good.

I actually think that Namco knows about im@s(2) uploads in both, Youtube & Nico Nico Douga. I think Namco is the one who actually allowed the im@s(2) records.

I mentioned this before.
Namco is stupid if they haven't figured out people make m@ds which are a crucial part of the whole culture of the IDOLM@STER

[iCONM@STER]

I came across an image, quite striking, consisting of some scenes that could possibly be one of us in the future.  It depicts a scenario, albeit fictional, of an old man (though could apply to anyone) recalling the past (being our present), or as he put it, that his episodic memory is recurring a couple of narratives non sic.  Indeed, this is influenced by the possible, disastrous outcome that may incur the Internets' structure, or even, its very being.

What if SOPA was passed?

[JNiles]

AAAAAHHHH.  That is the saddest comic ever.  Though it started getting weird halfway through.

[satty]

... It's not over.

If only because, well look at the history of this thread. Wasn't it supposed to be over twice already? November? December, when the end of the year ran down?

I'm not a fan of the odds, but I've been in the political game for quite a while. I'm not seeing a victory, I'm seeing a setup.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:HR01981:@@@L&summ2=m&

This may or may not look familiar to you, only because I don't expect people to understand what they're looking at.

For those who may not know, The last time a similar bill passed - it magically (and I mean magically) gained copyright triggers. I believe the Alabama law did this as did a few others. In other cases, it was attached on as a 'rider' on other bills.

However, this is mostly a 'Keep an eye on it' situation. We might get lucky, but you know, if I could get lucky often enough, I would be playing the lottery...

As for Megaupload's FBI strike, it says two things.

a) It proves that you don't actually need SOPA to strike. In short, they were gunning for more power.

b) Well, I will quote the FBI for various bits of consideration.

Instead, the indictment alleges that the conspirators manipulated the perception of content available on their servers by not providing a public search function on the Megaupload site and by not including popular infringing content on the publicly available lists of top content downloaded by its users

That's an interesting argument to take - if they manage to make this accusation fly, we're in significant trouble, because essentially what's being claimed is 'No public search function = criminality by concealment'

That has bigger implications than one might first realise. It suggests that Safe Harbour provisions no longer apply, and all servers are required to sweep for content for IP infringements at all costs.

This would extend to cloud computing, and more worryingly, towards VPNs. This in turn would uh, cause... interesting questions for, well, nearly every major company on the planet. Namely this:

Why on earth would I rent server space, when that provider will demand (by fear of prosecution) they can examine my company's personal data and corporate secrets when I need a private WAN coupled with a VPN to have my accounting team work at home?

Or worse, I have to LIST it publicly so IP holders can confirm that my business isn't sending some TV show, and stuff like sensitive company documents become visible?

For example, when notified by a rights holder that a file contained infringing content, the indictment alleges that the conspirators would disable only a single link to the file, deliberately and deceptively leaving the infringing content in place to make it seamlessly available to millions of users to access through any one of the many duplicate links available for that file.

This second part is also interesting, due to the question of 'Is the FBI alleging how Megaupload worked was actually a scam?' Because how it was supposed to work is that you'd maintain your own personal upload, and that there could be (and probably was) multiple copies.

Either the FBI is alleging the files were NOT duplicated (Namely they checked and if matched, didn't actually store multiple duplicates of the same file.) or in legal terms, the FBI is alleging that it doesn't actually MATTER, and that Megaupload is required to sweep for data matches.

There are however mitigating factors, and furthermore, we have to see in the resulting court case how they are going to exactly structure their argument.

Still, how the FBI structured its argument is very, VERY interesting...

Huh, I've heard about a possibility that Congress could pass a form of it like that. It would be out of the public's view and hidden well. As for the Megaupload incident, the fact that the FBI could use an argument like that is troublesome.

I came across an image, quite striking, consisting of some scenes that could possibly be one of us in the future.  It depicts a scenario, albeit fictional, of an old man (though could apply to anyone) recalling the past (being our present), or as he put it, that his episodic memory is recurring a couple of narratives non sic.  Indeed, this is influenced by the possible, disastrous outcome that may incur the Internets' structure, or even, its very being.

What if SOPA was passed?

Man...that is depressing.

[Elixir]

Maybe this explains the Megaupload ordeal?

http://www.prefixmag.com/news/megaupload-launches-music-service-megabox/60024/

[iCONM@STER]

I would like to throw into consideration, ACTA. ACTA, Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, which is set to go global as SOPA intended to, and consists of much the same proportions.  Even with that, they most likely do not need it to move any elbow, seeing they have plenty of room for movement under the guise of Intellectual Property protection.

So it seems very broad now, which, to surface, we have seen unfold, SOPA, PIPA, MegaUpload controversial extradition, and now ACTA is coming to light. I smell peril. It is all kind of clashing and spawning up for... what? To surprise?

[baruhara]

Even ignoring the ethical objections and the backlash protests that could have been seen before even proposing the bill by any person with the intelligence to understand what they're doing, it doesn't seem like there's any kind of logic going into these bills at all.

A lot of companies would face international marketing losses if their products weren't shown and, in a way, advertised freely on sites like YouTube. Marketing schemes cost a lot of money, and only the huge businesses can afford to advertise on an international level. Banning all kinds of exposure is a ridiculously idiotic move.

The "related videos" and "recommended videos" sections introduces you to a lot of different things that you might not have known about otherwise, without companies having to pay for international marketing. Sites like it also allow people without corporate backing to get a little fame and push their products, as shown by Alex Day getting his single to no.4 in the official UK Christmas music charts.

Without COPYRIGHTED! videos, I wouldn't have found Kalafina, or AKB48, or THE iDOLM@STER, or Resonance of Fate, or a huge variety of other video games and musical artists I've come across through related videos and other such things, that I've then gone on to buy because of the YouTube videos.

Enforcing bills that make filesharing sites illegal won't do anything to stop it. The pirates will just get even smarter in the ways that they go about their business, and anybody who knew anything about the internet would understand that.

I think it was Valve that said something along the lines of, "the way to stop piracy isn't to ban it, it's to offer a better service than the pirates".