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SOPA Gets a New Name, Still Terrible

So long, SOPA. It’s been real, and it’s been fun, but it hasn’t been really fun. It’s time to celebrate because SOPA’s dead, right? But wait, what’s this CISPA thin...
SOPA Gets a New Name, Still Terrible
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  • So long, SOPA. It’s been real, and it’s been fun, but it hasn’t been really fun. It’s time to celebrate because SOPA’s dead, right? But wait, what’s this CISPA thing RT.com is talking about? Well, if your answer includes something along the lines of “SOPA’s new name” or the “SOPA’s new clothes,” you’re on the right track.

    Simply put, CISPA–the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (H.R. 3523)–is yet another attempt from a largely clueless U.S. Government to take control of the Internet. Sure, it’s wrapped in a pretty bow of anti-piracy and the prevention of theft, but you might want to take a closer look at who’s backing these attempts. Yes, elected officials bring these bills and acts into being, but not without the monetary influence of the entertainment industry.

    Again, take a look at Lamar Smith’s list of financial benefactors, and start connecting the dots. This is, and has always been about control. The entertainment industry is deathly afraid of the Internet, if, for nothing else, the forced adaptation of a new method of content delivery. Unlike physical media, the entertainment industry’s control over the distribution of electronic media is not the same. And so, like always, the industry is fighting to get some of that control back.

    Apparently, the best way to go about that is to finance corruptible government officials, who will be more than willing to support your cause even though they don’t understand anything about the technology their being asked to regulate. For a perfect example of this, the following video features a segment of Rick Santorum discussing Internet regulation (at the 3:49 mark). If, after that, you think Santorum’s equipped to even discuss Internet regulation, let alone enact the necessary legislation, then you deserve what you get:


    While Santorum’s segment stands out for obvious reasons, the information offered by both Lis Wahl and Kendall Burman is awfully revealing. Furthermore, as the Burman effectively points out, the laws for effective Internet regulation are already in place. If you doubt that, ask Kim Dotcom how the past couple of months have treated him, while keeping in mind his takedown occurred without SOPA or PIPA even surviving the hearings stage.

    As for the new CISPA version of Internet regulation, the video’s YouTube page features an important nugget of information, something that should confirm your opposition to these kinds of bills:

    The SOPA-like bill would give companies the power to collect information on their subscribers and hand it over to the government and all they have to do is request it.

    Isn’t your privacy worth more to you than that?

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