Congress seems poised to fuck up the internet, but good.
PROTECT IP Act Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.
Peter Suderman has a run-down of everything that’s included. The video above gets the basic gist. A site like ours could be harassed, denied advertisements or shut down if someone posts a link to a pirate site in a comment or if we embed a video that used unauthorized music. Hell, if they had their wish, we’d be in trouble if we quoted a movie without permission.
We have stood by while these entertainment industry goons get ever increasing power over our lives. But now they’re talking about being ensconced as the referees of the internet, vested with almost unlimited power. And our Congress is either so well-bought or so technically ignorant that they’re likely to give it to them. Ron Wyden, one of the few good guys, is fighting this tooth and nail. But he’s one man holding the hill against the platinum album horde.
They need to be told what they’re doing. And they need to be held accountable if they do it. Party doesn’t matter on this; freedom does.