Wednesday, November 16th 2011

US Senate Holds Hearings on Great Firewall Of America

Nov 16th, 2011 11:57 Discuss (109 Comments)

Today, the United States Congress will hold hearings of an internet censorship system for America. That's right, "Land of the Free" gets a Great Firewall of its own, which is proposed to be practically as empowered as the one People's Republic of China uses, only that it threatens to have wider reaching consequences on areas such as freedom of speech, freedom of information (by that we're not endorsing piracy), and the integrity of the DNS system.

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The original idea behind this bill is to curb piracy of digital information, be it content or proprietary software, but is peppered with loopholes that allow the US government to practically censor any content it wants, and for bigger internet-enabled companies to cripple new startups. Social media sites that have traces of copyrighted content can be blocked overnight, if they are found to be serving as rally points for protestors in the future. Just think about it. Lets say a group sets up a social media site as a rally point for its protests. What will the detractors of that group have to do? Simple - post copyrighted content on that particular social media site, and make the copyright holders appeal for punitive action against that site. In the whole process, webmasters will be made policemen of social content on their site, because they will be made liable.

What does this mean for the rest of the world? It's simple - America is the gold standard for freedom and liberty. The moment the US passes such a legislation, other free societies around the world will be inclined to pass similar legislations, for the sheer amount of power it dispenses to the governments. Learn more here.

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109 Comments on US Senate Holds Hearings on Great Firewall Of America

#51

erocker

Gotcha. Unfortunately and depressingly enough, nothing will change untill there is a complete and total failure of the system. Those in/with the power have too much of it. I guess more people are going to need to starve before they actually care.

#52

FordGT90Concept

"I go fast!1!11!1!"

Can we maybe get back on topic?

Seeing how the bill has 38 co-sponsors and they need 50-60 votes to pass it, they're not far off. I fear that they're going to be able to pass it this time. :(

#53

xenocide

Easy Rhinoa democrat from vermont. what a f*cking surprise.

As a VTer, I feel obligated to clear something up. Our elected officials are shameless about protecting people rights, and defending the will of the American people. This bill is VERY out of character for Leahy, and I have actually spoken to him personally about it. His initial understanding is that he intended for it to help defend the intellectual property rights of artists, not huge corporations, it has since been altered so much that it basically makes the entertainment industry the internet police. I have no regrets voting for Patrick Leahy, but this is definitely a terrible piece of legislation that I oppose greatly.

#54

D4S4

mtosevNope. The $$$$ is already elsewhere were noone can find it (on bank accounts in foreign countries).
pozdrav iz slovenije.

i know i know :shadedshu but even if it were traceable it'd be almost impossible to hack and even if hacked it'd probably get returned to the "rightful" owners.

pozdrav! :toast:

#55

MilkyWay

Same things happening in Europe Greece for example lived on borrowed money and when the world economy went tits up everyone wanted their money back. The UK is in a lot of trouble too, the UK is a service sector economy mostly so we dont have any money coming into the country from exports we relied heavily on the financial sector and London.

I dont agree with this firewall or regulation on the internet, you post a journalistic review of say a movie and get clamped for having footage or even mentioning the copyrighted material. Theres fair use laws in the UK. These terrorism acts ect are created to get around our own laws, you know so they can read your emails and break Data Protection Laws.

#56

nt300

This is stupid. Enough with the one world government mentality.
This is only going to give hackers a field day while violating our freedoms..

#57

Unregistered

FordGT90ConceptCan we maybe get back on topic?

Seeing how the bill has 38 co-sponsors and they need 50-60 votes to pass it, they're not far off. I fear that they're going to be able to pass it this time. :(

Both Senators from my state are for this piece of shit but my congressman isn't....I miss John Glenn...

But I'll write to them all regardless....

#58

erocker

xenocideHis initial understanding is that he intended for it to help defend the intellectual property rights of artists, not huge corporations, it has since been altered so much that it basically makes the entertainment industry the internet police.

Then he should do the right thing and scrap it.

#59

nick_1992

Thing is people complain about things like this but never do anything to stop it....

#60

DannibusX

Thanks for the heads up, bta.

I'll be writing my Senators and Representatives tonight.

#61

mtosev

D4S4i know i know :shadedshu but even if it were traceable it'd be almost impossible to hack and even if hacked it'd probably get returned to the "rightful" owners.

pozdrav! :toast:

At least the main problem is on trial (Ivo Sanader). Here in SLO we already put one corrupt politician in jail for corruption. He got 3-4years. After a swift 4-5 mouth trial he ended up in jail.
I have family and relatives in CRO. So I know what's happening in CRO. My grandmother is always complaining how her pension is low and how stuff is expensive in ZG.

#62

erocker

US Citizen? Don't like this? Here you go: act.demandprogress.org/sign/sopa_conference/?source=fb

#63

TheoneandonlyMrK

effin fiddlers thats all politicians are, i wish i lived in a democratic world instead of this third world power model, i and many simply dont have the money reqd to "lobby" /fight back, udder balls a tel thee.

whilst mouthing the words free world, yet again polis are binding us up more and sentencing the lawfull to lawlessness ness

go erocker :) they let me sign from uk, get onit peeps ,see above

#64

D4S4

mtosevAt least the main problem is on trial (Ivo Sanader).

he's the least of the problems now, i don't know how things really are in slovenia but here everyone is corrupt, my neighbor, his grandma and his dog too. i'm not even being sarcastic here - yesterday i read something a politician blurted out (stipe gabrić jambo) and i almost died laughing; the bloody fool said that everyone who votes for him should call him if they need a doctor because he has connections (there have been some ridiculous health system reforms, to put it shortly - you can get a heart attack only during working hours otherwise you'll have to wait until tomorrow). i'd fucking have him shot.

#65

mtosev

D4S4he's the least of the problems now, i don't know how things really are in slovenia but here everyone is corrupt, my neighbor, his grandma and his dog too. i'm not even being sarcastic here - yesterday i read something a politician blurted out (stipe gabrić jambo) and i almost died laughing; the bloody fool said that everyone who votes for him should call him if they need a doctor because he has connections (there have been some ridiculous health system reforms, to put it shortly - you can get a heart attack only during working hours otherwise you'll have to wait until tomorrow). i'd fucking have him shot.

like that lady from Umag that died? the story was on slovenian tv.

#66

Ahhzz

Easy Rhinothe thing is you don't get to decide who is destroying the country and who isn't. that is why we vote. the people decide as a group. unfortunately we live in a country of fat people who watch american idol.

panem et circenses.

That's all we are. We've voted ourselves into Bread and Circuses, and we let the country go to the assholes. We put those 536 morons in place, and we've left them there. Occasionally, we get a wild hair, and boot one or two out, but by and large, we've left the idiots up there to make themselves fat, and us thin. There is not a single one up there for the good of his constituents, much less the country, every single mother-loving one of them is up there for himself. I get on the soapbox and yell "A people should not be afraid of its government. A government should be afraid of its people!!"

And we all nod and agree, and go quietly back to our computers, our desks, our books and beds, and wait for another day to complain about how badly our country is run.....:ohwell:

#67

D4S4

mtosevlike that lady from Umag that died? the story was on slovenian tv.

yup. and the americans bitch abut their healthcare lol.

we shouldn't spam this thread with our local bs anymore lest we want to wear moderator's patience thin. :laugh: :toast:

#68

D4S4

AhhzzThat's all we are. We've voted ourselves into Bread and Circuses, and we let the country go to the assholes. We put those 536 morons in place, and we've left them there. Occasionally, we get a wild hair, and boot one or two out, but by and large, we've left the idiots up there to make themselves fat, and us thin. There is not a single one up there for the good of his constituents, much less the country, every single mother-loving one of them is up there for himself. I get on the soapbox and yell "A people should not be afraid of its government. A government should be afraid of its people!!"

And we all nod and agree, and go quietly back to our computers, our desks, our books and beds, and wait for another day to complain about how badly our country is run.....:ohwell:

exactly. and why? because ppl are stupid. they really are. ppl want problems otherwise life would be too boring to them. we bitch and moan about justice but justice isn't evolutionarily relevant - our very nature makes it impossible.

#69

TheoneandonlyMrK

not very on topic tho and a bit rantish, people can do something very very easily and without baseball bats, tick every box not one , no confidence would shake the world, a bit at least

bruces millions is effin genius on a scale people just dont see

none of the above!

#70

Saidrex

Great, now they will take away our last piece of freedom, if this bill passes i'm going to hang myself.

#71

NC37

theoneandonlymrknot very on topic tho and a bit rantish, people can do something very very easily and without baseball bats, tick every box not one , no confidence would shake the world, a bit at least

bruces millions is effin genius on a scale people just dont see

none of the above!

No confidence = what? Impeachment then more bad politicians get into office?

Things are rotten at the core. Cutting off the ends won't solve it.

#72

Ahhzz

In my (very loud, and often wrong, according to my fiancee) opinion, the only good politician, is the reluctant one. One who doesn't want the power, is the best to use it...

#73

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

www.techdirt.com reports on corrupt shit like this all the time. Put it in your bookmarks, people.

There's lots of horror stories about SOPA on there right now.

#74

D4S4

power corrupts and makes even reluctant ppl do funky shit. if it were my way, either saints (unrealistic) or computers (slightly more realistic) would rule the world.

#75

Easy Rhino

Linux Advocate

thankfully both my congressman and senator do not support this bill. also, the man i support for president also does not support this massive intrusion and power grab by our entirely too large federal government.

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US Senate Holds Hearings on Great Firewall Of America

109 Comments on US Senate Holds Hearings on Great Firewall Of America

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