Has anyone heard

Chatterbox: Down to Earth

Has anyone heard

Has anyone heard of the peculiar new bill that is now being considered? It's crazy. Basically these new copyright laws that are wayway much stricter and enforced than the ones we have now. It's called the Stop Online Piracy Act (look it up).
Here's the thing: Any site featuring a copyright violation on it can be banned at the sole discretion of the Attorney General. Without a warrant or anything. I didn't even beleive it at first. But apparently stuff as simple as streaming an offending video could send ordinary non-commercial users to JAIL. (Offending video=taking a video of yourself singing a pop song.)
Many major websites are protesting hugely and have replaced their logos with anti-censorship banners.
More importantly, this would violate the first amendment. The government would be using the same content-blocking methods as China and Iran.
What does everybuggy think about this? Also if I got any facts wrong, please tell me.

submitted by Emily L., age 16, WA
(November 19, 2011 - 10:08 pm)

back to the Down to Earth

Hi, Emily.

I'm not completly sure I understand. So, if you take a video and post it on Youtube of yourself, say singing Dynamite, withouth promission from Taio Cruz or whoever wrote it, you'll either be banned and/or sent to jail?

Makes no sense. I think I've got it wrong.

submitted by ♦ Vida ♦, age 12
(November 21, 2011 - 2:18 pm)

Actually, yes, that's the idea, although it could be just a large fine instead. The rules vary depending on the size/expensivity of the copyright you are "infringing".

Facebook and other websites are strongly against this because they would be held responsible for content their users post. Also entire websites could be taken down until offending material was taken down. (And they're not even requiring some kind of due process to determine whether or not the material is offending!)

submitted by Emily L.
(November 21, 2011 - 6:39 pm)

@Vida: Nope. You got it right. I know, it's really stupid. For one thing, that takes away from the Human Rights as I think Emily pointed out. Two, this is the 21ST CENTURY. If the iPhone 4S can get jailbreaked the day it comes out, then I promise you that there will be an uncensored Internet out in a month TOPS.

Oh yeah, they're censoring the Internet.

But I wonder what happens if you're Canadian? 

submitted by Olive
(November 21, 2011 - 7:55 pm)

They're censoring the Internet? That's stupid...

Chickuu says varw.

~Ash out~

submitted by Ash, age 13, A galaxy far away
(November 23, 2011 - 3:50 pm)

Oh, I heard of this. It sounded... well, rather ridiculous, although in my opinion, even worse things have been proposed. Fortunately, it didn't pass, although it almost did.

You know, if there's a bill you know of that you disagree with very strongly, you can write to your local Congress member about it asking them to vote the way you want. One letter rarely does much, but if enough letters are sent, sometimes a difference can be made. You can usually find a way to contact them somehow; a lot of charities encourage you to do it and will actually send it for you. I've sent some, although I was too lazy to do it with this particular bill, unfortunately. Anyway, it can't hurt.

submitted by Ima
(November 21, 2011 - 8:15 pm)

It didn't pass then. Thank goodness. (Although the idea that it almost did is still worrying...)

submitted by Emily L.
(November 22, 2011 - 12:54 am)

Why would they do that?  Doing stuff like that give them free advertising!

submitted by Analesia, age 13, just being awesome
(November 23, 2011 - 1:05 pm)