Wikipedia blackout

[Noclevername]

I'm not certain if this is a legitimately allowed BAUT topic, covering as it does a political protest, but Wikipedia will soon be blacked out to protest certain pending U.S. legislation regarding internet exchanges of information. I have no idea what effect these possible changes in the law will have on BAUT and similar discussion sites that frequently use links to outside sources, but I'm fairly sure there would be an effect.

http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/...-SOPA_blackout

Mods, feel free to close this thread, remove the wiki link, or otherwise delineate what is and is not allowed to be discussed on this topic.

[Gillianren]

My understanding is that the legislation it's intending to protest is pretty well stalled, though I've read speculation that it will just be reintroduced when no one's looking.

[Tog]

My understanding is that the legislation it's intending to protest is pretty well stalled, though I've read speculation that it will just be reintroduced when no one's looking.

It basically has been. There is a new version already making the rounds.

[Glom]

A whole day with no Wikipedia?

Puts me in mind to watch the South Park episode where the Internet goes down.

[Scriitor]

Now if Google follows suit, that'll grab some attention.

[Jim]

I'm not certain if this is a legitimately allowed BAUT topic, covering as it does a political protest...

Well, it's a protest about legislation.

Mods, feel free to close this thread, remove the wiki link, or otherwise delineate what is and is not allowed to be discussed on this topic.

Discuss the proposed legislation, its perceived/potential impact (especially on BAUT!), Wiki's response to it, but keep the politics out of it. (The Wiki link does a good job of this. They discuss the legislation with no mention of politcal parties or politicians.)

If the discussion turns political... well, you know the drill.

[Jim]

A whole day with no Wikipedia?

I liked the comment from the Wiki spokesman. "Kids, do your homework early."

[jokergirl]

Google has put in formal protest but will not blackout.

[grapes]

Ironic though, no? Kinda like shooting a fish to protest fish shooting.

[Space Chimp]

I liked the comment from the Wiki spokesman. "Kids, do your homework early."

Luckily, copy and paste doesn't take too long.

[Fazor]

How stalled SOPA really is is up for debate. It sounds like they were just going to back out some of it [DNS blacklisting] and then try to push it back through. Unfortunately, it's not enough to address the flaws many see in the bill.

PIPA is still up for vote, and it's equally as bad (from the standpoint of what it could do to internet infrastructure.) But the blackout seems mostly focused on SOPA, since that's the one getting the majority of the attention.

I'll be interested to see the ramifications of the blackouts tomorrow. As for my site, I'm sure all of five people will notice. But that's okay, gives me a break from trying to update if nothing else. :-P

[jfribrg]

Ironic though, no? Kinda like shooting a fish to protest fish shooting.

The blackout threat has raised awareness about the bill, which may be the main purpose of the blackout. It is no longer possible for the bill to be quietly passed without anyone noticing. It got us talking about it here and elsewhere. The problem is that no matter which side a politician takes, the next election will give plenty of good attack ad sound bites to the opposition : "He even supported legislation that would force google and facebook to shut down !!" or "He even opposed legislation that would stop the theft of intellectual property !!". Can't win either way, so hopefully it will be arranged that it never comes up for a vote.

[Grey]

Ironic though, no? Kinda like shooting a fish to protest fish shooting.

I think the intention is probably something like, "this legislation could have an end result of shutting down sites like Wikipedia; here's a small taste of what that would be like".

[grapes]

Yes, and even more ironic, they're probably shooting themselves in the foot.

ETA: I mean, I love wikipedia, but even I won't "miss" it. I know a lot of people will say "good riddance", unfairly of course.

[Noclevername]

Yes, and even more ironic, they're probably shooting themselves in the foot.

What else can they do? WP is exercising the only power they have to protest this legislation; to take their bat and ball and go home.

It's only going to be for 24 hours, it's not like they are going away entirely.

[ammer]

I think the intention is probably something like, "this legislation could have an end result of shutting down sites like Wikipedia; here's a small taste of what that would be like".

Like Wikipedia, every site with user generated content is on the line, like BAUT. One of the issues with these bills (SOPA/PIPA) is that websites can be taken down for alledged copyright infringement, without real due process.

So even when the mods do a very fine job, it is very hard to assess all the links on possible infinging material. On a very unhappy day, even BAUT might end up on the receiving end of this US bill.

This is fact, not opinion.

I have to admit though that the likeliness of such an event seem remote for BAUT. But who can tell?

[Fazor]

ETA: I mean, I love wikipedia, but even I won't "miss" it. I know a lot of people will say "good riddance", unfairly of course.

The bigger hope is that a lot of people who haven't heard of SOPA will become aware of it. It's certainly been a bill that's not gotten a lot of media attention, and it's something that a large portion of the populace wouldn't seek out as reading material.

I'd *love* to see Google participate, but understand why they're not (talk about breaking the internet!) A show of support is still something tho.

[Jim]

Maybe they'll do a special logo.

[grapes]

What else can they do? WP is exercising the only power they have to protest this legislation; to take their bat and ball and go home.

Another possibility would be to replace their pleas for funding with a public service spot, maybe along the lines of NO WIKI TODAY (jk, but it could happen)

I'm not criticizing the pleas, of course.

It's only going to be for 24 hours, it's not like they are going away entirely.

Like I said, I'd get by without it. What if everybody finds that out tomorrow? That's the part I call shooting themselves in the foot.

[Fazor]

I'm not criticizing the pleas, of course.Like I said, I'd get by without it. What if everybody finds that out tomorrow? That's the part I call shooting themselves in the foot.

My local grocer is closed on Christmas, and I survived. Doesn't mean I'm going to start shopping at the quick-E-mart that stayed open. I think you're giving people too little credit. They already know they can live *without* Wikipedia. Doesn't mean they won't want to use it ever again.

And it's not just Wikipedia. A lot of major websites are closing down.

[BigDon]

You all didn't see huge changes coming to the internet after Egypt and the "Arab Spring" in North Africa and the Middle East?

Once they saw how it was done, no goverment will allow a tool that can bring down goverments in the hands of the general populace unchanged. The changes are actually to make them safer.

So in a "crisis" the infrastructure is there to shut the 'net down.

Don't believe me? Think the ol' brain is frying?

Don't forget the same people got so worried about a trick that would only work once, the 9/11 highjackings, that they set up the economy-killing TSA. You know, the people that defend their right to grope your children in places their teachers can't even touch them? (Don't you love folks who defend their outrages when they should be defending their continued existance?)

Now think how they feel about a trick they saw work over and over again.

Remember old Uncle Joe? He once said, "Ideas are more dangerous than guns! Why should I allow my enemies ideas?"

The wild and wooly internet was fun, but I see it becoming as dynamic as broadcast television.

For our safety.

[Frog march]

I agree. Democracy is dependent on free speech, and the exchange of information; why would we be allowed that?

[Frog march]

it has begun.

[Noclevername]

Maybe they'll do a special logo.

Nailed it.

[NickW]

Darnit. Noclevername beat me to it.

[otakenji]

Not only Wikipedia, but others are blacked out.

Google still works as a search engine, Only the banner is blacked out.

The Universe Today site is blacked out with a Solar Eclipse....http://www.universetoday.com/

[Gillianren]

Either they're having a momentary glitch or the Academy Awards database is doing an unofficial work stoppage. Last I checked, they couldn't find Meryl Streep in the database!

[Ara Pacis]

Actually, The wikipedia pages still load for me, except they are covered with a blackout a few seconds later. So, I just reload it and then hit "stop" on the browser so the blackout page doesn't load. I dunno if I should feel bad about that or not, but I needed to find out how fast melatonin is supposed to take before it starts to me fall aslee... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[BigDon]

Actually, The wikipedia pages still load for me, except they are covered with a blackout a few seconds later. So, I just reload it and then hit "stop" on the browser so the blackout page doesn't load. I dunno if I should feel bad about that or not, but I needed to find out how fast melatonin is supposed to take before it starts to me fall aslee... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

And too bad Ara was texting while driving!

[Frog march]

Laws like this are pushed by business people, and politicians, who don't have a first clue about the creative process, and only think in terms of the dollars. If they had there way, there would, in the end, be nothing worth pirating anyway, just third rate movies and music.