PIPA and SOPA

Y'all probably know about PIPA and SOPA. What? Some of you don't? Shame on you! Nah, I'm only kidding. Here's a run-down.

PIPA and SOPA are sister bills that were recently put on the back burner until the next US Administration is in full swing next year. But that won't stop companies using illegal means to get websites shut down either way. Department of Justice doesn't need either of the bills to hijack the DNS of websites to put to their own server, which is illegal without a warrant. (since when do they need a warrant... Oh yeah, we have a Constitution for that, but they apparently have never heard of it..) Google, unfortunately, can easily shut this blog down in a pinch soon as they're threatened. But, that won't really stop us getting our favorite manga, now does it?

Now these are what those two bills can do. If either or both pass and is signed into law (which they will, corporate greed and lobbying does that), that would give the Government (US only, for now) the power to hijack any DNS they deem fit, regardless of country of origin, to 'censor' the web of sites they don't like. Now, if any of you know your history lessons, this can't happen. Why? US law doesn't affect outside of US borders. But our Government likes to think otherwise. If they don't get what they want, they will bully other nations to enact similar laws. Its already happened several times. I believe Pirate Bay had to switch countries due to US bullying and influence. I might be somewhat wrong, but that's the gist of it.

What makes them dangerous? The censoring of the internet. China already does this, which is why they've been known as "The Great Firewall of China" for years now. The US is rapidly approaching this as well, and we will become just like China until an underground market for the internet appears. Both bills are very dangerous and could cripple the internet as we know it.

There is large opposition to both of them, but I doubt it'll be enough because MAFIAA, MPAA, RIAA, Microsoft, AT&T, Time Warner, Comcast, etc.. even more companies... They are all supportive of the bills. They want them to pass. Google, Twitter, FaceBook, few more, are opposed to them, but I don't think that will help much as some might think. There are a ton of big-name companies that support them, and only a handful that don't. Boycotting is an idea to show opposition to the companies that do support the bills, but even that won't be enough I believe.

Thought I'd make a post on this for now since its getting a lot of attention lately. I didn't participate in the SOPA Protest myself as I found it completely pointless to black out 1% of the internet for an entire day. Ah well, shit happens I suppose..