Sir Tim Berners-Lee Speaks Out On SOPA

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Sir Tim Berners-Lee Speaks Out On SOPA

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday January 19, 2012 @07:18AM from the everyone's-a-critic dept.

natecochrane writes "Father of the web Sir Tim Berners-Lee called for Americans to protest SOPA and PIPA, laws he says violate human rights and are unfit for a democratic country. Sir Tim's condemnation came on the day an editorial in Australia's leading broadsheet newspapers pointed out that although the laws ostensibly applied to U.S. interests they could overreach to impact those in other countries."

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The Joke's on Them by Aladrin · 2012-01-19 07:21 · Score: 5, Insightful

"an editorial in Australia's leading broadsheet newspapers pointed out that although the laws ostensibly applied to US interests they could overreach to impact those in other countries."
The laws were written specifically for that purpose. They have clauses that (supposedly) prevent them being used on US sites and site owners. What's left? The rest of the world!
That's why it disgusted me every time I saw someone overseas saying to get this junk off their news sites because it didn't apply to them.

--
"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
1. Re:The Joke's on Them by ljw1004 · 2012-01-19 08:02 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  The SOPA was written to address "US-based interests", i.e. it specifically claims to go after only US-directed foreign websites, to prevent US-based people from seeing those foreign websites.
  (Defn: "US-directed" means that the site hasn't taken steps to prevent US people from seeing the website, or other nonspecified reasons. "Foreign website" means a domain name which is registered by a non-US registrar, or an IP address which comes from a non-US block).
  But the US doesn't have jurisdiction over foreign domains/websites. So, in that absence, it's US-based companies who have to act:
  * US-based ISPs have to take measures to prevent their customers from "accessing" those websites 5 days. It's not clear what measures must be taken, but they include at a minimum blocking DNS lookups.
  * US-based search engines have to remove hyperlinks to those foreign domains/websites within 5 days
  * US-based ad brokers have to cease serving ads to those foreign domains/websites within 5 days
  * US-based payment companies have to cease processing payments for those foreign domains/websites with 5 days
  Moreover, any US-based service which bypasses this censorship -- TOR, Mafiaafire, free and open DNS servers -- will be shut down by the courts.
2. Re:The Joke's on Them by Ice+Tiger · 2012-01-19 08:03 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Except when the blocking mechanism is to remove say slashdot.org from DNS.
  
  --
  "Because we are not employing at entry level, offshoring will kill our industry stone dead."
3. Re:The Joke's on Them by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-19 08:43 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  So the blackouts affected your productivity? Then you might be interested in the fact that if those websites get taken down with SOPA or PIPA, it will likewise affect your productivity, therefore these laws *do* affect you, and your whole logic breaks down.
  > In actual fact, the SOPA blackouts just made me find alternate sites and avenues to the content I would normally use.
  Yes, I am afraid that's exactly what non-US people will have to do. So I guess the blackouts pushed you towards doing what needs to be done ;)
  > They actually *helped* me not be reliant on people who think their service is there to push their own political agenda instead of being a service.
  Actually, the "service" e.g. Wikipedia offers centers around a highly political cause itself, namely free access to knowledge. You like to treat "service" and "politics" as different things, but in this case, they aren't.
4. Re:The Joke's on Them by GumphMaster · 2012-01-19 09:40 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  It sure as hell applies to me. I run a (very) small software business online in Australia under a .au domain name. If a US company decides that my software infringes a patent they claim to hold then they can get my site removed from any US-based searching index and my site blocked by name or IP. That is not catastrophic as my software is not useful in the US, and reasonably well supported by word-of-mouth anyway.
  However, under these abominations of law, they can also force any company with a presence in the US to cease any payment related service to my company. Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Diners will remove their merchant accounts, PayPal is not an alternative etc. Any non-US payment processor accepting Mastercard, Visa etc. will be contractually obliged by the US companies, protecting their own legal arses, to refuse payment services also. This is a death sentence to any online business. The only recourse is to fight a legal battle in US courts, a death sentence to any small company.
  
  --
  Patent litigation: A doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction... in which everyone seems willing to push the button
Father of the web Sir Tim Berners-Lee by frovingslosh · 2012-01-19 07:24 · Score: 5, Funny

Father of the web? Wait 'till Al Gore hears about hears about this poser!

--
I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
1. Re:Father of the web Sir Tim Berners-Lee by johanwanderer · 2012-01-19 07:26 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Father of the web? Wait 'till Al Gore hears about hears about this poser!
  Web != internet
Re:Violates human rights? by Kenja · 2012-01-19 07:30 · Score: 5, Insightful

Freedom of communication, speech, association, congregation are not human rights?

--

"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
And yet... by echo_kmem · 2012-01-19 07:30 · Score: 5, Insightful

All these voices coming out against these Bills, yet the Congress and Senate still push as if they really have a shot.
1. Re:And yet... by Kenja · 2012-01-19 07:49 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  We'll know next week when it gets voted on. But even if the bill's get defeated, they will just be tweaked and resubmitted. This will be an ongoing issue that will require massive amounts of vigilance. Many bills are not even read before being voted on. If SOPA/PIPA get renamed "the blankets and apple pie for war orphans" bills we may be in trouble.
  
  --
  
  "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
Unfit for a Democratic County by MoldySpore · 2012-01-19 07:39 · Score: 5, Insightful

This is an extremely fitting description of why the bill shouldn't passed, considering that it will put us under the same umbrella as Iran, China, and Syria...at least when it comes to the DNS blocking part of the bills and internet censorship in general if SOPA/PIPA are passed

--
"I hope you know how very lucky you are to know me, because I am so incredibly incredible."
Re:Violates human rights? by Kenja · 2012-01-19 07:44 · Score: 5, Insightful

A limitation on the means of exercising a right is a limitation on the right. Saying you have the right to free speech, but not the right to exercise that right is silly.

--

"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
His thinking the US is a democratic country... by spagthorpe · 2012-01-19 07:55 · Score: 5, Insightful

...is his first mistake. Once you realize that the country is run by corporate overlords, it all makes perfect sense.
I expect this round of the bill will get shot down. Then someone will attach it as a rider to some BS terrorist or child pr0n bill later in the year with little media coverage.

--
WWJD -- What Would Jimi Do?
(Smash amp, burn guitar, take home the groupies)
Re:Senator Rand Paul Promises PIPA Filibuster by Fned · 2012-01-19 08:18 · Score: 5, Funny

That's just what people who read a lot of Ayn Ron want you to believe.