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"Irish SOPA" Signed Into Law Despite Resistance

Posted by samzenpus on from the good-luck-with-that dept.

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."

4 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. What a shame by NewtonsLaw · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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 :-(

    1. Re:What a shame by theshowmecanuck · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Considering this is happening in Eire one might find it kind of sad given this very famous quote:

      "It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt." -- John Philpot Curran: Speech upon the Right of Election for Lord Mayor of Dublin, 1790. (Speeches. Dublin, 1808.) as quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations

      --
      -- I ignore anonymous replies to my comments and postings.
    2. Re:What a shame by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That sends the wrong message too. There is plenty of DRM-free stuff available for purchase from hard working artists, independent film and record labels etc. .. that's the stuff we should all be buying.

  2. Re:80,000 is not enough by NewtonsLaw · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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!