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Web Censorship Bill Sails Through Senate Committee

jamesrage

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It looks like they are trying to give the government more control over the internet.

Web Censorship Bill Sails Through Senate Committee | Epicenter | Wired.com
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that would give the Attorney General the right to shut down websites with a court order if copyright infringement is deemed “central to the activity” of the site — regardless if the website has actually committed a crime. The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) is among the most draconian laws ever considered to combat digital piracy, and contains what some have called the “nuclear option,” which would essentially allow the Attorney General to turn suspected websites “off.”
 
It looks like they are trying to give the government more control over the internet.

Hi, James. I guess what they're saying in the legislation is that they don't have to prove in a court of law that copyright infringement has taken place, just that the central activity and purpose of the site is to violate copyright laws. I don't think I have a problem with that. Do you?

Artists deserve to have their copyrights respected, imo.
 
Hi, James. I guess what they're saying in the legislation is that they don't have to prove in a court of law that copyright infringement has taken place, just that the central activity and purpose of the site is to violate copyright laws. I don't think I have a problem with that. Do you?

Artists deserve to have their copyrights respected, imo.

If they don't have to prove anything in court, then that would allow them to shut down a website, on a whim; and then makeup whatever excuse they want to justify their actions.
 
This would allow them to shut down Debate Politics if they wanted to.

While 'fair use' could legitimately be claimed for much of what people copy/paste here, this does open the door.

Also, there's the political aspect of this site. If one party or the other were in charge and decided that they wanted this site down because it negatively looked at their party...
 
This would allow them to shut down Debate Politics if they wanted to.

While 'fair use' could legitimately be claimed for much of what people copy/paste here, this does open the door.

Also, there's the political aspect of this site. If one party or the other were in charge and decided that they wanted this site down because it negatively looked at their party...

No, it doesn't. The law specifically states:

...if copyright infringement is deemed “central to the activity” of the site.

IMO, this is not the camel's nose. It is an attempt to protect copyrighted material from theft.
 
Hi, James. I guess what they're saying in the legislation is that they don't have to prove in a court of law that copyright infringement has taken place, just that the central activity and purpose of the site is to violate copyright laws. I don't think I have a problem with that. Do you?

Artists deserve to have their copyrights respected, imo.

Maggie, this is just the goverment getting their noses under the tent. Must we have government be the answer to all problems? Besides they usually make things much much worse.
 
No, it doesn't. The law specifically states:

What a law specifically states doesn't seem to matter much if, for example, the Church of Scientology hasn't gotten nailed for the false DMCA notices they took out on videos of opposition.

IMO, this is not the camel's nose. It is an attempt to protect copyrighted material from theft.

The obvious fact that no theft is occurring aside, there are ways to do their goal without this legislation - how about actually using what they already have granted to them in terms of powers instead of trying to push for more if that is REALLY their goal. It seems like they just want more control, plain and simply.
 
No, it doesn't. The law specifically states:



IMO, this is not the camel's nose. It is an attempt to protect copyrighted material from theft.

The bill allows the AG to skip due process in deciding what's what. Basically, making him un-answerable to anyone. If he decides to shutdown a blog site, because he deem that there were copyright infringements, there is no action that the blogsite can take to defend themselves, since there is no longer any due process involved in the decision making.
 
The bill allows the AG to skip due process in deciding what's what. Basically, making him un-answerable to anyone. If he decides to shutdown a blog site, because he deem that there were copyright infringements, there is no action that the blogsite can take to defend themselves, since there is no longer any due process involved in the decision making.

THIS... is my issue here. And it's why I doubt this will get passed into law. Due process is critical, and this removes it.
 
I agree with the goal. I don't agree with the proposed implementation -- at all.
 
THIS... is my issue here. And it's why I doubt this will get passed into law. Due process is critical, and this removes it.

Kinda makes you wonder why they don't want to use the mechanisms already in place.
 
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that would give the Attorney General the right to shut down websites with a court order if copyright infringement is deemed “central to the activity” of the site — regardless if the website has actually committed a crime. The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) is among the most draconian laws ever considered to combat digital piracy, and contains what some have called the “nuclear option,” which would essentially allow the Attorney General to turn suspected websites “off.”

Pitiful and the Entertainment Industry actually expects me to feel sympathy when they lobby for this sort of crap. :roll:
 
The bill allows the AG to skip due process in deciding what's what. Basically, making him un-answerable to anyone. If he decides to shutdown a blog site, because he deem that there were copyright infringements, there is no action that the blogsite can take to defend themselves, since there is no longer any due process involved in the decision making.

Very sensible take. I can understand this point. I do wonder, though....if the website is out of the country, do our copyright laws apply? I'm thinking the answer is no, and that's how these websites are circumventing our laws. And also why they can't be brought up on charges. If our copyright laws don't apply to websites owned by people in other countries, and we are trying to protect our own citizens against these infringements, then I think the legislation makes sense.
 
Very sensible take. I can understand this point. I do wonder, though....if the website is out of the country, do our copyright laws apply? I'm thinking the answer is no, and that's how these websites are circumventing our laws. And also why they can't be brought up on charges. If our copyright laws don't apply to websites owned by people in other countries, and we are trying to protect our own citizens against these infringements, then I think the legislation makes sense.

Ultimately, I don't think it has a damn thing to do with copyright infringement. It's all about shutting down decent.
 
Information (web sites, copyrighted material) multiplies too quickly on the web to make every single instance subject to a court.
 
Information (web sites, copyrighted material) multiplies too quickly on the web to make every single instance subject to a court.

So, in light of that, the government will pass a law that violates the peoples's constitutional rights?
 
Ultimately, I don't think it has a damn thing to do with copyright infringement. It's all about shutting down dissent.

Your post belongs in Conspiracy Theories. ;-)
 
would wikileaks be an easy target once this is law
by asserting that the information it was disclosing to the public was intended as confidential
 
Information (web sites, copyrighted material) multiplies too quickly on the web to make every single instance subject to a court.

So the government will just go willy nilly shutting down sites at the drop of a hat?
 
The bill allows the AG to skip due process in deciding what's what. Basically, making him un-answerable to anyone. If he decides to shutdown a blog site, because he deem that there were copyright infringements, there is no action that the blogsite can take to defend themselves, since there is no longer any due process involved in the decision making.

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that would give the Attorney General the right to shut down websites with a court order if copyright infringement is deemed “central to the activity” of the site — regardless if the website has actually committed a crime. The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) is among the most draconian laws ever considered to combat digital piracy, and contains what some have called the “nuclear option,” which would essentially allow the Attorney General to turn suspected websites “off.”

i think this is fine.
 
no, the bill specifically states they need a court order.

Of course, a lot of our judges are probably computer illiterate old fogeys.
 
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