What I think of the SOPA

[Lucifer666]

Before I start off, I just wanted to let you all know that I am fully aware that it is against GBAtemp's rules to link/upload warez or inform others where these may be gotten. This rant is just my take on how and what SOPA will change, what it will limit, what negative effects it may carry, despite the fact that it would give big companies the money they deserve.

Before I continue, I find it quite important that you take a look at this:

Spoiler

Now of course, let's start with the very basic point of this rant: What is piracy? and what has it done to big companies?

To sum things up: Piracy is *illegally* obtaining a form of software by means of the internet. Due to the fact that piracy's gotten easier over the years, big companies aren't earning as much money as loads of people are no longer buying and are pirating instead.

Let's move on to two points I want to make very clear:

• Piracy is not exactly theft. There's a difference. When you pirate, a copy of the thing you're pirating does not disappear from the store and appear in your hands. It's still in the store and in your hands. You are creating a soft copy of the file, which of course, still is a bad thing as the company who made it will have lost one customer.
• The reason people pirate music for example isn't only because of the ease. I mean, have you seen iTunes? Click the download button and it's there in your library. I don't think it's about affordability either.

I'm 13 and aware that let's say 90% of my friends pirate regularly. In a private school with other kids with affluent parents, piracy is still how people get their music.

It's a thought process. If one of my peers' favourite artist released a new song, they'll just get it off limewire. (or whatever they use today since that thing shut down) They could've easily afforded it, but preferred not to pay for it, as they can use the money for other stuff.

Go back to my first point, people don't pirate because it's easy. I think it's safe to conclude that mainly, the only 2 types of people that would really be willing to pay for music are:

• Hardcore fans of a certain artist. And I mean, REALLY hardcore. "I want them to get money, so I'll buy it"
• Extremely rich people with so much disposable income, that they really no longer know what to spend on anymore, and end up getting music albums because they think they might like that for a change.

Okay, now something else: When the option to pirate is given to a large percentage of the world's population, then is taken away like that, not many people will move over to buying originals, except for the desperate.

That said, a smaller percentage will have song x by artist y on their iPods. That song will not be as popular as it could've been with the freedom to pirate, and hence, making less people actually buy the thing.

^ That might've been a bit confusing; allow me to rephrase that:

People will pirate songs on their iPods and players, that stuff will become popular, so album-buyers will hear about them and purchase their songs.

Do not get me wrong. I am not promoting piracy whatsoever; it's just that I find it very wrong to ban it. Spread the message that SOPA will affect business, economy, finance, society, the internet, freedom and more in unpredictable ways, as I did! Get the word out on forums, blogs, and whatever places that may not be available to you as SOPA grows stronger. Allow the internet to remain the one place where people of all backgrounds come as one and speak to each other freely.

 

[Foxi4]

I'm not particularily worried about SOPA, and you shouldn't either. The system, in conjunction with Protect-IP is extremely faulty. All it blocks is resolving adresses, you can still access whatever site you want using its IP.

Piracy is not theft. There's a difference. When you pirate, a copy of the thing you're pirating doesn't magically disappear from the store and appear in your hands. It's still in the store... and in your hands. You are basically creating a soft copy of the file, which of course, still is a bad thing as the company who made it will have lost one customer. (ie, you, in this case, as it's as if you never bought it and do not want to, seeing as though you have something else to keep you entertained which is the pirated copy)

I disagree. No client was lost. It's very likely that without a chance to pirate the content, a pirate would not purchase the product anyways for whatever reasons. By pirating it there is a slight chance that he may buy it in the future (to have a physical copy) or will purchase DLC for it (to extend gameplay posibilities).

The reason people pirate music for example isn't only because of the ease. I mean, have you seen iTunes? Click the download button and boom it's there in your library... nor is it about people being able to afford it or not.. well, kind of.

People pirate music because they can, not because it's quick or easy. We simply like music. We like listening to it and naturally we want to have our favourite songs with us. It doesn't matter if we can afford it or not - we want it *now* and we obtain it. If a given person's preference for a given band reaches a certain point, said person will buy merchandise or a CD anyways to show off that he likes this particular band - we're individuals and we like to show off our preferences.

Thing is, people in charge don't necessarily understand those simple truths.

 

[The Papo]

I'm not particularily worried about SOPA, and you shouldn't either. The system, in conjunction with Protect-IP is extremely faulty. All it blocks is resolving adresses, you can still access whatever site you want using its IP.

Piracy is not theft. There's a difference. When you pirate, a copy of the thing you're pirating doesn't magically disappear from the store and appear in your hands. It's still in the store... and in your hands. You are basically creating a soft copy of the file, which of course, still is a bad thing as the company who made it will have lost one customer. (ie, you, in this case, as it's as if you never bought it and do not want to, seeing as though you have something else to keep you entertained which is the pirated copy)

I disagree. No client was lost. It's very likely that without a chance to pirate the content, a pirate would not purchase the product anyways for whatever reasons. By pirating it there is a slight chance that he may buy it in the future (to have a physical copy) or will purchase DLC for it (to extend gameplay posibilities).

The reason people pirate music for example isn't only because of the ease. I mean, have you seen iTunes? Click the download button and boom it's there in your library... nor is it about people being able to afford it or not.. well, kind of.

People pirate music because they can, not because it's quick or easy. We simply like music. We like listening to it and naturally we want to have our favourite songs with us. It doesn't matter if we can afford it or not - we want it *now* and we obtain it. If a given person's preference for a given band reaches a certain point, said person will buy merchandise or a CD anyways to show off that he likes this particular band - we're individuals and we like to show off our preferences.

Thing is, people in charge don't necessarily understand those simple truths.

I agree with you, but you've got to realize that the passing of SOPA has far-reaching consequences, not because the law itself but because the precedents that it sets. If SOPA passes through congress it will mean that the government and a handful of corporations can legally suppress certain forms and channels of expression to safeguard their interests. And that is not a very good thing.

 

[Deleted_171835]

The problem with SOPA is not that it's attempting to stop piracy. More so that it's going about it in a very flawed way.

Your argument has less to do with SOPA and more to do with your justifications for piracy.

 

[exangel]

Your approach to spreading the word on the issue is kind of hard for me, as an adult, to take seriously. I liked the song, the video, but I agree that your point of view on the matter is promoting piracy (though you deny it, you are literally advocating for it) and that is a TINY facet of the massive gem that our current situation of Internet freedom is. See the vid below, it's over 20 minutes long, but it's worth every second, to spread the comprehension of the extent of the abuse of speech that this piece of legislature would enable.

Sadly, if you are not a US Citizen all you can do is speak to people/the internet on this issue, but fortunately we all (on this forum) have that privilege. I've written my representatives with the help of http://americancensorship.org/ since I live in the US.

Also, I don't think that the passage of SOPA would stop music trends.. when I was your age (mid 90's) I was one of the first in my school to have my own Internet (dial-up) account, and ripping CD's to MP3 was a slow process if you could obtain the right software at all.
We used to share mixtapes and sometimes record off the radio, and we used to make a point of listening to music together, because it was rare that more than one of us could get the newest Metallica or whatever as soon as it came out.

What the passage of SOPA would do, in respect to the point of your post, is make it just as impossible as it used to be for independent artists to spread their music without touring and playing gigs (David Guetta has shitloads of backing in the music industry, bad example).
Amongst so many other important issues, I think you give the convenience of sharing music illegally way too much credit where it isn't due, because pop music will always be profitable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhwuXNv8fJM

 

[dragonkid6]

Your approach to spreading the word on the issue is kind of hard for me, as an adult, to take seriously. I liked the song, the video, but I agree that your point of view on the matter is promoting piracy (though you deny it, you are literally advocating for it) and that is a TINY facet of the massive gem that our current situation of Internet freedom is. See the vid below, it's over 20 minutes long, but it's worth every second, to spread the comprehension of the extent of the abuse of speech that this piece of legislature would enable.

Sadly, if you are not a US Citizen all you can do is speak to people/the internet on this issue, but fortunately we all (on this forum) have that privilege. I've written my representatives with the help of http://americancensorship.org/ since I live in the US.

Also, I don't think that the passage of SOPA would stop music trends.. when I was your age (mid 90's) I was one of the first in my school to have my own Internet (dial-up) account, and ripping CD's to MP3 was a slow process if you could obtain the right software at all.
We used to share mixtapes and sometimes record off the radio, and we used to make a point of listening to music together, because it was rare that more than one of us could get the newest Metallica or whatever as soon as it came out.

What the passage of SOPA would do, in respect to the point of your post, is make it just as impossible as it used to be for independent artists to spread their music without touring and playing gigs (David Guetta has shitloads of backing in the music industry, bad example).
Amongst so many other important issues, I think you give the convenience of sharing music illegally way too much credit where it isn't due, because pop music will always be profitable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhwuXNv8fJM

The OP has made a very clear point tho, many if not almost all people have a the wrong media induced interpretation of what pirating is. The guy who made the first reply said it best

No client was lost. It's very likely that without a chance to pirate the content, a pirate would not purchase the product anyways for whatever reasons. By pirating it there is a slight chance that he may buy it in the future (to have a physical copy) or will purchase DLC for it (to extend gameplay posibilities).

If someone pirates, they mostly likely lack the means or will to purchase the product anyways, think of just how miniscule the percentage of gamers who pirate and take a very small fraction of them who have the means and will to buy a game but since they have a way to play pirated games, they download instead of buying them.

I myself only began pirating after I lost my job and then I hacked my psp, but I still bought DS games when I could. Then I sold my DS when I could no longer buy games. Only recently did I buy a DSiXL (upgraded to 3DS at launch) and pirate games on that. Also my Wii, I started to pirate after I lost my job again. But now that I got work again. I will resume buying Wii games and continue to buy 3DS games, and then buy my favorite DS games.

EDIT: Shame on the person who has money but doesn't buy games just cause. Also the ppl who stop the Tales of Graces eng-patch are gay, translating a Wii game will not in any sense dampen PS3 games sells.

 

[exangel]

@dragonkid6
I thought the subject was SOPA and not justifying piracy.

fwiw I'm a pirate and already shared my feelings about DRM on my blog.

 

[the_randomizer]

Congress = making our lives a living hell one step at a time. I don't support piracy, but I'd rather not have this bill lead them to resort to DNS blocking. I will however, disable DRM whenever I can; it's the epitome of Satan himself.

 

[ThePowerOutage]

A lot of media "Piracy" nowadays has been largely influenced by smartphones and internet streaming. For instance, a lot of my friend won't download or buy a song - when they want music, they search youtube. If they want to watch a movie, they know a plethora of streaming sites to got to. This "Piracy" is different from the norm five years ago, and I'm sure the norm in five years time will be something completely different from now. The point is, "piracy" continually evolves. The impact of this bill would really be negligible in the long run, if it was passed in the first place. Considering the uproar it would cause, and how ineffective it would be, I highly doubt it will pass.

Worse case scenario and the bill is passed, I still feel that pirates would win. Piracy would continue, it just might be a smidgen more difficult.

What worries me though, is that it could have a very negative effect on Idie and PC gaming. Both are spurred on by piracy, Minecraft, for instance, I would have never bought if it wasn't for piracy. At school, my friends swap around games we downloaded, and if we like them we buy them (Usually when they've come down in price a bit, or are on sale)If I couldn't pirate, I highly doubt I ever would have become a gamer, and i'm sure my friends would agree. My situation is not isolated or unique either, piracy definitely increases sales.

Just like the OP I'm still at school (Just a bit older, just turned 14) but I have a different outlook, as I don't come from the most affluent background. I definitely disagree that people dont pirate because they can't afford to buy games - Like I said, when I do buy games, it's usually when there in the bargain bin or on offer, even then, I have to do a few PC repairs to make up the cash. If I did have spare money, I can't say I would never pirate though, I definitely like the try before you buy system, sometimes even the complete the game before you buy system.

But yeah, tl,dr; SOPA is going to fail, and piracy encourages sales, especially when it comes to Idie and PC games.

 

[exangel]

But yeah, tl,dr; SOPA is going to fail

As a US citizen I'm not that confident. The passage of Proposition 8 in California came as a surprise to a lot of people, with the tremendous amount of opposition it got in the media from Hollywood and *some* political celebrities. It passed with a majority of the popular (aka people's) vote but many think that was as a result of a more effective multiple-religion-funded campaign, that ultimately, got the people in favor of banning gay marriage to show up to the polls.

Since a bill is only voted on by fewer than 500 indviduals, it's "theoretically" a lot easier for lobbyists to sway the passage. Here are the numbers:

In the House the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), then the bill moves to the Senate.

In the Senate it takes 50% + 1 of the quorum. Since minimum quorum in the Senate is 51 Senators, the bare minumum it takes to pass a bill through the Senate is 26. If all Senators are present, it takes 51 Senators to pass a bill (assuming all Senators vote). and if there is a 50/50 tie, the Vice President, (President of the Senate) gets to cast the tie-breaker.

I think it's going to take more than what's happened so far to prevent the bill from passing, but hopefully delaying it for further drafts will give the world more time to rally against it and get those 400 some odd people to represent the popular sentiment.

 

[xist]

It stands to reason that some form of Sopa will pass, albeit in a diluted form. And it's that level of dilution that will make or break the act for the majority of people who are threatened by it. If it's weakened to the point that politicians think it will do something, but in reality it does nothing of any import rather than ensure more people receive warnings for torrents from the ISP's, then hopefully it can just be swept to one side as a measure that's equivalent to a scary bedtime story.

 

[DanTheManMS]

I pirated a lot more as a 13-year old than I do now 8 years later, for what that's worth.

But as others said, SOPA isn't even about stopping piracy. It's about eroding our online freedoms and constructing a Great Firewall of America in a way that fundamentally breaks the way in which the Internet works. And our politicians don't even care that what they want isn't technically possible. See the following article and some of the resulting comments for a good read: http://tech.slashdot...no-longer-funny

Congress = making our lives a living hell one step at a time.

There's a reason it's called Congress and not Progress.

 

[the_randomizer]

Never thought of that one before, it all makes perfect sense now. If more laws like this get passed, I'm moving back to Japan. How I weep for the future of this country.

 

[ficarra1002]

Best argument against SOPA I've heard is:
"Do you really want elderly congress members who have problems checking their email make laws about the internet?"

 

[DanTheManMS]

Best argument against SOPA I've heard is:
"Do you really want elderly congress members who have problems checking their email make laws about the internet?"

As one of the comments on the Slashdot article I linked stated, it's not even the fact that they're not experts on the subject. That's excusable. What's inexcusable is that experts aren't even involved in the process.

 

[Flame]

Soon the U.S. will have a one party in the elections, just like china....

 

[chyyran]

We are witnessing the rise of another type of government, a Pseudo-Democracy filled with propaganda, not from the government, but from the media. One where politicians are simply pawns for corporations. A form of government where corporations control many of our very thoughts. They keep up this illusion of freedom so we'll buy more of their stuff. Do we really have another choice? Wherever we are, we rely on corporations, from The Americas to Africa, to Europe to Asia, one way or another.

Where do we get our clothes? Stores owned by corporations.
Our food? From multi-million dollar supermarket chains.
Our entertainment? The very corporations who support this violation of our freedom.


On the other side of the spectrum, where do the people starving in Africa get their food? From corporations like Red-Cross, or Oxfam. Charitable corporations, yes, but corporations nonetheless.

Corporations rule the world. Politicians, the idiots that they are nothing but proxies for them. Their idiocracy is what enables Corporations to control them.

And Politicians, in a way, control us.

Corporations rule the world. They're just enforcing their ultimate and utter control over everyone now.


You can't disagree completely with me, can't you?

 

[ThePowerOutage]

We are witnessing the rise of another type of government, a Pseudo-Democracy....

We're not witnessing the rise of Pseudo-Democracy, we're witnessing the progression of Pseudo-democracy.

To date, there has never been a complete democracy.

Also, I just need to clarify. I haven't researched this bill extensively, but from what I can gather, it would allow the government (And other corporations?) to be able to log internet traffic, and basically "flag" an ip when they tried to access a blacklisted site easier, resulting in more nasty letters? However people fear this will lead to full blown internet censorship such as what can be seen in China, and pave the way for the implementation of an internet "kill" switch like the one demonstrated in Egypt earlier this year. Is this correct or have I got the wrong end of the still completely?

@exangel
It will fail though, whether it is passed or not. People will continue doing what they do now.

 

[the_randomizer]

VPNs FTW.

 

[Uncle FEFL]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJIuYgIvKsc&feature=player_embedded