Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge

Posted by Moderator Daniel on January 18, 2012, 4:50 am
Message modified by board administrator January 18, 2012, 4:51 am

Imagine you click on the message board and got nothing! Come to find out that someone had the message board shut down because someone made the accusation that one of the links led to supposedly copyrighted content. Today many (including such websites as Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org) are protesting House Bill number is 3261 - SOPA (which stands for Stop online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act). Please go to this page to learn more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Learn_more If either of these bills pass this message board could be shut down just because someone made the accusation that a post linked to something which is copyrighted. I would then have to pay the legal cost to go to court to and prove innocence. Guilt Upon Accusation law 'Section 92A' that calls for internet disconnection based on accusations of copyright infringement without a trial and without any evidence held up to court scrutiny. The entertainment industry had spent significant funds lobbying congress to get this bill presented and passed. They care more about profits than freedom of speech and innovation. What next, they start doing surprise raids, breaking down peoples doors because they think the person has a DVD that was copied illegally? Here in Mexico it is the physical duplication of movies which are the main source of copyright violation, how many of you buy or borrow them? I don't know the answer to completely eliminate copyright infringement, there are significant number of laws already in force to protect their interest. I know there is a solution, it just hasn't been found yet. Personally, if given a choice between copyright and freedom of speech I choose freedom of speech. It does little good to fight wars abroad in the name of freedom and democracy if each one of us are not also willing to protect them. We all need to get educated and protect the open structure of the Internet. It has it good sides and its bad sides but mostly good. The world has waited since the beginning of time for individuals to have un censored communication. Now is the time to keep what we have, take action! Side note - Please save this link to your favorites http://www.reddit.com/r/lamanzanilla this is where the message board will be hosted should this message board ever be out of action. You will have to create an account to post but it doesn't have to be your real name or real email address. Just click the word register right above where it say's Search Reddit.

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