Slashdot Mirror
"Irish SOPA" Signed Into Law Despite Resistance
First time accepted submitter cupantae writes "Despite the protests of over 80,000 Irish people, Junior Minister Seán Sherlock has confirmed that the controversial statutory instrument that reinforces online copyright laws in Ireland has been signed into law. The statutory instrument will make it possible for copyright holders to seek court injunctions against companies such as internet service providers or social networks whose systems are hosting copyright-infringing material. This comes in the wake of the music industry bullying the Irish government."
They must have taken that decision after a few pints of Guinness...
No, just a junior minister who wants t become a senior minister. Having heavy pockets like those behind his campaigns will certainly help getting that little blister re-elected.
Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
Now check his bank account for a mahusive cash deposit.....
What a shame it is that 90% of the public are so complacent and unwilling to take action to protect their rights from the goose-stepping content cartels.
Imagine if, even if just for a month, *nobody* bought any music from members of the RIAA, nobody went to any theatres to watch movies from the MPAA, or bought their DVDs or even hired their DVDs.
Can you just see the look of absolute fear that would envelope them?
Even if we could find enough people to reduce their sales and rentals by 50%, that would send a very strong message that perhaps, when it comes to copyright "it's better the devil you know [filesharing] than the devil you don't [boycotts]"
Unfortunately, any move to organize a campaign of abstinence or a boycott would be doomed to failure -- because most people just don't give a damn anyway.
We get the government (and the storm-trooper tactics) we deserve they say. Maybe they're right :-(
Sadly democracy relies on the bulk of the citizens actually keeping appraised of various issues, having the education and intelligence to really make an intelligent decision and then actually acting upon it by at least electing representatives that represent their opinions - and keeping a leash on them to ensure they don't waver from the path.
Most people don't care at all until a government does something they don't like - and by then its way too late.
They won't notice until someone abuses this legislation to take down some website they care about with no recourse, no warrant and no time in court.
Sad to see Ireland sell itself to the big Media corporations like this. So much for all the years of struggle for an independent Ireland.
"The first time I got drunk, I got married. The second time I bought a chimpanzee, after that I stayed sober" Arian Seid
Only a small fraction of the population is politically active enough to protest against something. Show me one protest that consisted of more than 50% of the population. That doesn't mean that the remaining 6120000 people would vote for the law in case of a referendum.
Don't forget that the public generally only knows about the things the media tells them about and -- in the list of SOPA sponsors there are a huge number of big media players -- all eager to use it to protect their content.
Hence, we've seen very little (if any) objective mainstream media coverage of SOPA and what it will mean to the average joe citizen.
Unfortunately, the real power to shape the minds and opinions of the masses lies in the hands of the likes of Rupert Murdoch and the other media barons.
We're stuffed mate!
"Bullying the government". I almost fell off my chair. Come on now. Are we really expected to buy that the outcome was the result of "bullying" rather than accepting a bribe?
Let's call a spade a spade here. When government accepts a bribe, government is 100% responsible. There is no benefit of doubt. There is no "but". Government holds the keys to oppression, not the music industry. Government has the guns.