Censorship

This is important -- Congress is considering two bills ("Protect IP" and "SOPA") that would let the government or any corporation censor the internet, using the same DNS-blocking techniques as Iran or China.  

 

More here: http://americancensorship.org/

 

The bills are ostensibly to stop copyright and trademark infringement, but they won't.  Instead-- they'll let the government shut down almost any social media website, since any site can be shut down just for audio, video, text, or even *links* posted by its users.  Any corporations will have the power to bankrupt any website or organization by cutting it off from payments, advertising and donations-- without so much as a court order.

 

The law is being pushed by some of the strongest lobbies in Washington, it has broad bipartisan support, and it's likely to pass in some form.  I've been active against it: next week I'll be participating in a nationwide call-in day.  Can you join me, and help me spread the word by forwarding this email?

 

Join me here: http://americancensorship.org/

 

Thanks!

 

Here are two great op-eds about the bills, followed by links to the bill text:

 

1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/sopas-ugly-message-to-the-world-about-america-and-internet-innovation/2010/12/20/gIQATlhEYN_blog.html

 

2. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/opinion/firewall-law-could-infringe-on-free-speech.html?_r=2

 

3. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s968/text

 

4. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3261/text

 

To get involved, the link is: http://americancensorship.org/