[GPSCC-chat] #SOPA?

[Spencer Graves]

Hello, All:


       Owen in Occupy San Jose is organizing a protest against the "Stop 
Online Piracy Act" (SOPA), which is currently scheduled for a vote this 
Wednesday, Dec. 21.  For ignoramuses such as myself, I will summarize 
here my understanding of the current status of this bill (mostly taken 
from the Wikipedia article on it);  if anything below seems 
inappropriate, please let me know.


WHAT IS SOPA?


             1.  This is a House bill scheduled to come to a vote this 
Wednesday, Dec. 21.  The corresponding Senate bill, the Protect IP Act, 
passed the Senate Judiciary Committee but is not currently scheduled for 
a vote.  As of Dec. 17, there were 31 official sponsors, and 4 known 
opponents in the House, including Nancy Polosi, Zoe Lofgren, Darrell 
Issa, and Ron Paul.


             2.  "The bill would authorize the U.S. Department of 
Justice to seek court orders against websites outside U.S. jurisdiction 
accused of infringing on copyrights... .  After delivering a court 
order, the U.S. Attorney-General could require US-directed Internet 
service providers, ad networks such as Google and payment processors 
such as PayPal or Visa to suspend doing business with sites found to 
infringe... .  The Attorney-General could also bar search engines from 
displaying links to the sites."


             3.  However, most experts outside the US media industry are 
opposed for several reasons.  First, its provisions could so disrupt the 
normal functioning of the Internet that it seriously degrades its 
utility.  Second, civil libertarians say that it essentially authorizes 
prior censorship in ways that could be virtually beyond public 
scrutiny.  In theory, the bill gives web site owners unjustly accused of 
copyright infringement the right to sue their accusers.  In practice, 
it's not realistic to expect that "occupysj.org", for example, could 
afford the attorney's fees required to challenge Disney -- especially 
since most of the media industry supports Disney's position and would 
happily see "occupysj.org" destroyed if they could do so without a large 
public outcry.


CALL TO ACTION:


             1.  Write (and perhaps call) your representative in the US 
House.  If that's Lofgren, thank her for her strong opposition to this 
in order to reinforce her resolve to sustain her position and to give 
her ammunition in talking with other representatives.  For others, ask 
their position and express your opposition.  If you haven't done this 
before, go to "www.house.gov" and enter your zip code.  This will 
identify your representative and provide a link to how to communicate to 
him / her.


             2.  Write your friends and acquaintances to tell them what 
you did and encourage them to do likewise.


            3.  While you are at it, I encourage you to also write your 
Senators.  Boxer is fourth highest recipient of money from the 
organizations pushing for this legislation:  $544,424 (according to 
"www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s968/money 
<http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s968/money>") and include those 
when you write others.


       The following are what I'm writing.


       Spencer


Representative Zoe Lofgren:  Dear Representative Lofgren:  I wish to 
thank you for your strong opposition to the "Stop Online Piracy Act".  I 
oppose it because (a) I'm convinced it presents serious technical 
problems as discussed by many technical experts, (b) authorize prior 
censorship in ways that are easily concealed in part because the media 
have a conflict of interest that would push them to avoid reporting on 
any such events when they could do so without substantive loss of 
audience, and (c) it's one more example of corporate welfare and bribery 
at work in the halls of congress.  Thanks, Spencer Graves


Senator Barbara Boxer:  Subject:  Protect IP Act
Dear Senator Boxer:  What is your position on the Protect IP Act?  From 
what I've read, it is (a) one more example of corporate welfare and 
bribery at work in congress that would (b) presents serious technical 
problems as discussed by many technical experts and (c) authorize prior 
censorship in ways that are easily concealed in part because the media 
have a conflict of interest that would push them to avoid reporting on 
any such events when they could do so without substantive loss of 
audience.  According to "www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s968/money 
<http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s968/money>", you've received 
$544,424 in contributions from the industry pushing for this bill.  Are 
you planning to vote for the special interests and against the 
constitution or for the general welfare of the public?  Sincerely, 
Spencer Graves


Senator Diane Feinstain:  General Topic:  Civil Liberties.
Dear Senator Feinstein:  What is your position on the Protect IP Act?  
 From what I've read, it is (a) one more example of corporate welfare 
and bribery at work in congress that would (b) presents serious 
technical problems as discussed by many technical experts and (c) 
authorize prior censorship in ways that are easily concealed in part 
because the media have a conflict of interest that would push them to 
avoid reporting on any such events when they could do so without 
substantive loss of audience.  Sincerely, Spencer Graves


On 12/19/2011 7:54 PM, Owen wrote:
> ALSO, I don't like that is an unofficial action, either. Came up with
> the idea or this yesterday since #SOPA goes to vote on the 21st.
>
> My apologies for this unorthodox (spontaneous) action.
>

-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Technology Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567
web:www.structuremonitoring.com

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