Devastating internet censorship plan (new SOPA) to be put in practice from July!

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/15/am...n-july-12/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-573974...by-july-1/

http://dottech.org/tech-news/28447/isps-...ly-1-2012/

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/07/gr...s-had-been

I just saw those articles in a post. I was shocked to say the least, and decided to post this on several forums I frequent so the word can be spread.

In summary, all major American ISP's are implementing a system to spy on their users in order to police copyright infringement. There was no legal debate let alone any discussion with the users, and this decision was simply taken and will be applied starting 1 or 12 July. Users considered to be infringing copyright will be punished in several ways... such as their internet being cut off, selective websites being censored, their bandwidth being lowered, and if the offense is repeated users will be constrained to go to special copyright lessons to be allowed on the internet again.

I believe that this is the worst attack initiated against internet users in the US, worse than what SOPA and ACTA were meant to be. If what's said about this initiative is true, something worse than SOPA is already being put in practice starting next week. It's clear that the government and / or Hollywood have started another backroom deal, this time asking ISP's to pretend they've taken the decision on their own so they could censor the internet without any debate in the house or senate (which as proven by SOPA would not pass).

I couldn't begin describing how horrible and surreal this is after what I read. It will be used to cut users off the internet, and even worse to purposely humiliate them in spite (copyright lessons required to access the internet, and lowered data transfer rates as punishment). It will also be used to spy on any website you access, and for the first time in the history of America you will be completely watched by your ISP. They might even be able to read private emails you send / receive. Those are unspeakable practices which could only be imagined in countries like Libia or North Korea.

I don't believe I need to point out that users will not be punished for real copyright infringements only, but false negatives will exist and be heavily abused. Technically, if your ISP believes you are stupid for accessing a website they don't like (which they can now spy on) they may easily invent a claim and cut you off the internet without being questioned by anyone. This will obviously be used for censorship on political subjects and worse too.

Every internet user needs to act urgently, more than they have for SOPA / PIPA last winter. If this decision is not undone, I'm even expecting riots to take place. I'm also hoping that major websites like Google or Wikipedia will do another blackout in awareness to this. At this point I strongly support a criminal investigation to see who's behind those unprecedented attacks on internet users, and believe someone needs to be sentenced to prison for both this and what happened with SOPA.

The only thing I ask of everyone is to please re-post this and spread awareness immediately! We need everyone to know about this fast, so we can have time to protest and / or sign petitions against it. Lets hope this can be stopped before the unthinkable happens, otherwise there will no longer be internet for most of us.

Wait... I thought Sopa was voted against? These are old articles... Well, if you are right, I'm sure users will protest and there is always OPERATION BLACKOUT!

It's not SOPA. Read the articles.

Well here the British folk decided to take a more brutal approach and simply start using the banhammer on actual sites. But there's always TOR.

There are other important things I would like to point out about this, which I didn't fully get to last night. Those are points that I believe everyone should carefully look into and inform others about.

This will allow your ISP to spy on everything you do. If they spy your data they will be able to read your emails, IM's, how many times you called your boss a moron, how many times you sex RP'd online... everything. Theoretically, they can even spy on what you discuss with your co-workers, and secretly share private information with the competitor of the company you work for. Or if you access a porn website, they could tell everyone about it and the things you look at (even your parents or husband / wife). Next, if you access a website about something your admin dislikes, they can easily invent false claims against you to bully you. Imagine being cut off the internet because you are gay or accessed 4chan. Or going to school one day to find out the head teacher mysteriously knows you're gay or something you only said privately, then everyone finds out and you get bullied. Also, what do you think will happen to people who post bad things about America's leadership, the US army, uncover war crimes or government abuses, and that sort of thing... especially with the NDAA being around?

If anyone thinks this won't happen because "they will be nice people and will only use this to catch thieves", you are more than naive. No, it WILL be used for this and much worse if it happens. I don't even need to point out what power hungry and control hungry characters are behind this.

But even if (just for the sake of pretending) this will only be used against pirates. Those pirates might have an online job, not to mention friends they talk with and other activities (unrelated to piracy). Cutting anyone off the internet at this day could cost many their jobs, and some even their lives. And then... being humiliated in spite by being sent to classes about copyright and scolded like a 2 year old by some internet provider? This by itself is a hateful practice, which as a mentality was used by communist and nazi regimes to show their power. Those who spoke against the regime but didn't pose a big threat weren't killed, but instead beaten in public and left without food and water for days, to show an example to those who disobeyed. At a different scale, this is the same mentality being put in practice here with those "lessons", against people who might have done as little as downloading a song. We live in a mad world.

Alongside the practical consequences, this is also an insult to all internet users. We are being qualified as thieves automatically, and investigated prematurely to make sure we aren't stealing. Using the internet will now be a suspicion of theft by itself... also known as being accused of a crime before you even commit it. In any normal world, people would be outraged at such a slap in the face. It's the same as installing cameras in everyone's homes, watching them when they eat / go pee / have sex / etc. just to be sure they aren't raising cannabis in their house. Christ... not even Gaddafi or Kim Jong Il dared to do this.

As for hoping that some ISP's will stay free, no. This is simply a new attempt to pass a law worse than SOPA. Currently, they paid or constrained ISP's to pretend they've taken the decision on their own. After people would have cooled down and enough accepted this practice, they would also pass a law to make the whole thing obligatory. It's basically doing it before it's legal, so people get used to it first and they can later legalize it more easily. That's why everyone needs to act urgently.

One thing's for sure: They are up-front trying to make America a dictatorship, and I'm not talking just about this event (the NDAA is another thing). Many laws worthy of the worst dictatorships are being forcefully pushed in the US. The world has a very important choice to take in the next years, and if the wrong one is taken expect us to return to a medieval terror-based leadership. This isn't a theory or exaggeration, it's happening under our eyes.

Once again, please post about this everywhere you can and spread the word. Make a topic on all forums you visit (if there isn't one already), post it on your Facebook / Twitter, and if you own a blog publish an article. We should also contact every news TV station or website and pressure them to speak about it. Please make people aware of the things I wrote in this post also (feel free to re-post all of it) so they can better see what we're dealing with (as many still think it would only stop piracy and it's ok). We have a disaster beyond words in front of us, if everything we read about this is true.

I am ready to use this: http://wiki.omegasdg.com/index.php?title..._Kleinrock

Spying on everything I do crosses the line, imo. I hated that google monitored searches and sold the statistics, but I still had the ability to just not use google. This is going too far.

This country has over the last few years started to turn into exactly what some of my ancestors (I got a few war veterans in my line) fought against. It will only be a matter of time before some serious civil unrest happens.

I am ready to use this: http://wiki.omegasdg.com/index.php?title..._Kleinrock

It's funny because it's cancelled. Get up to date dude!

I am ready to use this: http://wiki.omegasdg.com/index.php?title..._Kleinrock

It's funny because it's cancelled. Get up to date dude!

Aw damnit. Is there any other viable alternative to the internet?

Aw damnit. Is there any other viable alternative to the internet?

If enough people care to make one, yes. I've been trying to find more info on this since the winter. Google words like darknet, alternate internet, or mesh networking. Me, and from what I read other nerds sick of censorship like myself, are already dreaming of a parallel internet with no control point and no ISP's.

there are still things such as encryption / secret codes ....

w3 c0u1d t41k 1n 133t

...

yeah .... this is bad ...

I have some good news everyone. It seems the project was delayed until past this July. There's no specific date as to when they wish to implement it, although evil corporations and ISP's are still hoping this year.

http://torrentfreak.com/us-six-strikes-a...ed-120518/

That likely means they are scared, and have taken notice people are revolted. This is our chance to react and give them a good scare. What I hope will happen is people establishing a date when they can go to their ISP and protest... maybe knock at their door and have a nice heated discussion (I don't wish to imagine a worse scenario yet).

If such happens the project will certainly be killed, and we would further send a message to those who wish to crush the internet so they understand once and for all we'll never accept it in any form. Including those who support CISPA, who they hopefully understand will also not pass for the sake of both sides and everyone else.

I just hope websites also used outside America (I'm looking at you, Wikipaedia) don't black out. Only in America. We are not affected, okay? We are still somewhat free.

I'm a Wikipaedia editor from Europe and I was especially angered when the site went black. Sure, if you disabled JavaScript you could see it but I only find out later. Thanks Wikimedia.

That's misdirected anger, Evropi. You can't just pretend that american politics, especially on internet matters, do not affect you.

I just hope websites also used outside America (I'm looking at you, Wikipaedia) don't black out. Only in America. We are not affected, okay? We are still somewhat free.

I'm a Wikipaedia editor from Europe and I was especially angered when the site went black. Sure, if you disabled JavaScript you could see it but I only find out later. Thanks Wikimedia.

I disagree, and am glad they blacked out everywhere. I actually wish Google had the blackout banned in Europe too... in its case it was US only.

When talking about the internet, it is a global problem that should have worldwide awareness. Mainly because several important websites and services are from the US, as well as many people we talk to. SOPA risked bringing those down, and taking some of our American friends offline forever. It's a common war and I support fighting it as such.

I helped spread awareness and fight against SOPA. Hopefully, some Americans fought against our ACTA too. The internet is a global place

This is definitely an American issue, so why would anyone else have to be concerned with it? I believe there are some countries that block and censor their people's internet use and I don't see any debate or an organised protest against them anywhere. I believe Australia and Germany have ridiculously strict censorship on video games, music, and movies(correct me if I'm wrong), but everyone over here just seems to accept it.

I would love for everyone to stand on a united front against such intrusions, regardless of their nationality. But is it realistic to expect that?

This is definitely an American issue, so why would anyone else have to be concerned with it? I believe there are some countries that block and censor their people's internet use and I don't see any debate or an organised protest against them anywhere. I believe Australia and Germany have ridiculously strict censorship on video games, music, and movies(correct me if I'm wrong), but everyone over here just seems to accept it.

I would love for everyone to stand on a united front against such intrusions, regardless of their nationality. But is it realistic to expect that?

Verisign is american. Verisign controls .com and .net. Do you ever visit .com or .net sites?

China's great firewall does not affect you because the censorship is contained inside its borders and you don't often visit chinese websites or connect to chinese servers. Of course, that does NOT mean you don't have to be concerned with it. I don't know if you meant to say that but if you did, that's incredibly selfish and despicable.

+1 Mr. Bougo

On a separate note, I would like to inform everyone of something even more important. CISPA is going to expire soon and will be voted in the senate... probably secretly and under the desk like we've been used to seeing (so no date is known). Everyone who is against it is strongly advised to call their senators ASAP and firmly ask them to vote against it! I don't have a link but you should be able to find their phone numbers on google and older SOPA / CISPA articles... I'm too tired and outright sick of the whole thing to look them up myself. I consider this even more dangerous than the ISP initiative, and by all means hope this law won't happen either As usual, please spread the word and re-post wherever you can so everyone knows. We need to show the senators those who oppose it are large in number, since as with SOPA they will not be able to vote on a law that everyone is visibly against. The house already passed it, so this is even more urgent for that reason.

If my representatives don't vote it out, then I'LL VOTE THEM OUT OF A JOB!

Of course, that does NOT mean you don't have to be concerned with it. I don't know if you meant to say that but if you did, that's incredibly selfish and despicable.

No, my point was that there is already major censorship in place in some countries, yet I see no one protesting for them. I hadn't considered Verisign's part in all of this.

I guess that's what happens when the measures have been in place for years. If China were implementing their firewall now, we'd probably see more protesting. Same thing when SOPA got kinda old and the interest faded.

Ideally, I guess you'd want to protest the politicians rather than put all the focus on their projects. Because otherwise, they just try again and again until the masses get tired of hearing about it and start ignoring it.

Although I've been bringing a lot of "related news" to this thread since the initial discussion, I again received some shocking news from EFF by email (they're a serious source of information) about a potential revive of the actual SOPA / PIPA.

http://act.demandprogress.org/act/vs_hol...rce=typ-tw

It appears Hollywood is trying to shut down all cloud websites. Basically, it wishes to take down Youtube, Google Drive, and all cloud services out there, the same way Megaupload was removed. The article mentions them trying to circumvent congress so they can force their law through without a vote. What this means is most major websites which allow file storage would be gone... and we are back at SOPA as we know it.

This comes just a few days after I heard about the ISP initiative and an update on CISPA. Jesus Christ... has the world gone completely mad? Are those groups desperate beyond limit to shut down this internet? They now want sites like Youtube to disappear forever... who almost entirely addressed the issue of copyright material being uploaded. Is this even about copyright any more, or is that just a pretext?

Yeah, I agree... this is an outright war with the entertainment industry at this point. I don't feel like fueling the fire here so people can jump to their own conclusion... I just found the article and linked it. There will probably be more information soon, and if that's true likely another blackout. Feel free to re-post this post anywhere without asking.