Why we are not RATTLED by SOPA?

ShadowHearth

It is a big part of our lifes. It can be very big destructable force. It wount be a WAR on PIRACY,it will be pure CENSORSHIP tool.

I already see censorship on youtube. You remember Georgia vs russia conflict? I have opportunity to see both: russian news and western news and i can see honestly: Youtube was shooting down all videos that were not related to western News, the videos that were proving western news wrong, were shot down!. I dont blame youtube, but i can bet it was censorship from goverment.

This will bite us gamers in the arse like newer before. Review websites down, Youtube down, online streaming websites down. your video " I PWN NOOBS WITH AK47 " will be shot down, because it has footage of game! No more lets play.

Check video lads, it will take few minutes, bit it is well worth it.


p.s. activision is supporting this bill. Last game i ever bought from that crowd.

KonFusion

Who say's we're not?

However we're not American, and while it will affect us indirectly, I see little we can do, as I doubt the american congress will give 2 fecks what some people in Ireland think.

Furthermore, the vote is rescheduled to take place in 4 days, what would you like us to do OP?

Sony, EA, Disney, Universal, Paramount, Fox and Nintendo are all supporting the bill, to name a few. That's a hell of a lot of boycotting.

Hopefully it won't pass. Until then, I have other things to be RATTLED about. Sorry if I sound blunt, but all the SOPA scaremongering is getting to me.

ShadowHearth

I would like you to put your pants down an run around, while screaming "Raccoon bit my penis off!"

Seriously, it would be nice to talk about it, just opinions etc. there are petitions, info on it. It will effect all of you. If you dont say anything, then they take it for granted. ( irish goverment loves irish people in this way, bend them over, **** them a wee bit, and they wont say a thing )

I know its very popular opinion here "ah, its not touching us yet, so **** that".

Sabre0001

Did my thesis on this issue (related it to the fighting game community, both in America and internationally). If passed, YouTube and many other sites that we wouldn't even consider would go under. Anyone who wants to make a tips video or CoD clip or whatever would suddenly be committing a felony (rather than the current "breaking copyright, but holder hasn't requested action).

The wording of the bill is vague and as a result my area of interest, gaming videos, has been included with actual piracy. People who do not understand are making the rules and it is a shambles. Not happy with this Act and going to be very interested in the outcome of the vote.

Nervous about the future though - I like gaming tournaments being streamed (from the biggest who would get a broadcast permission to the local one), I like producing content, and I like whittling away hours on YouTube where videos often stray into the wrong side of copyright law whether they mean to or not.

johnny_ultimate

ShadowHearth wrote: »

your video " I PWN NOOBS WITH AK47 " will be shot down, because it has footage of game!

Good. Obnoxious kill videos are dull as anything :pac:

It's fair to say there's **** all we can do, same as there's little we can do to stop the Great Firewall of China. It would be nice if we could, but we can't. I also would have to imagine that in the unfortunate event that it does pass, I'd hope most IP holders would have the good sense to allow fair usage. If they don't, then there will be cause for uproar.

Scaremongering is all well and good, and yes if we were in America we'd have every cause to taken to the streets. But the Internet is a powerful force. It will overcome this bump in the road.

Overheal

Sabre0001 wrote: »

Did my thesis on this issue (related it to the fighting game community, both in America and internationally). If passed, YouTube and many other sites that we wouldn't even consider would go under. Anyone who wants to make a tips video or CoD clip or whatever would suddenly be committing a felony (rather than the current "breaking copyright, but holder hasn't requested action).

The wording of the bill is vague and as a result my area of interest, gaming videos, has been included with actual piracy. People who do not understand are making the rules and it is a shambles. Not happy with this Act and going to be very interested in the outcome of the vote.

Nervous about the future though - I like gaming tournaments being streamed (from the biggest who would get a broadcast permission to the local one), I like producing content, and I like whittling away hours on YouTube where videos often stray into the wrong side of copyright law whether they mean to or not.

Would you mind linking to your thesis or discussion SOPA here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056485548

appreciate it

richymcdermott

This if it goes through will hurt the gaming industry more doing good cause a majority of people i reckon look up a game on youtube before deciding to buy games .. I can understand from a movie/music stand point on why their doing it but i dont agree on why their doing it this way.
But as being said before i dont know what little we can do but i hope their be a shed of light in this dark tunnel.

gizmo

Sabre0001 wrote: »

Did my thesis on this issue (related it to the fighting game community, both in America and internationally). If passed, YouTube and many other sites that we wouldn't even consider would go under. Anyone who wants to make a tips video or CoD clip or whatever would suddenly be committing a felony (rather than the current "breaking copyright, but holder hasn't requested action).

I was under the assumption that would still come under the heading of Fair Use?

Sabre0001 wrote: »

The wording of the bill is vague and as a result my area of interest, gaming videos, has been included with actual piracy. People who do not understand are making the rules and it is a shambles. Not happy with this Act and going to be very interested in the outcome of the vote.

Once again, this is the problem. Any good the Bill could have possibly done is overshadowed by the vagueness in the language as a result of it being drafted with either outside agendas in mind or plain ignorance of the issue.

ShadowHearth

gizmo wrote: »

I was under the assumption that would still come under the heading of Fair Use?


Once again, this is the problem. Any good the Bill could have possibly done is overshadowed by the vagueness in the language as a result of it being drafted with either outside agendas in mind or plain ignorance of the issue.

we really do know how they go over the top with laws in USA. where a burglar sued person, who he was about to burgle, because he broke his leg in his house by falling. funny enough poor fella was sentenced guilty and had to pay out scum bag for injury.


Now if there will be some conflict in the future, goverment will be able just shoot down all info that they dont want to get in to public hands. Its like a massive button for censorship, which will do a huge amount of damage to gamers and internet users. ( an all people in general)

Stev_o

Sadly it feels like this will come down to whether one lobby group can shove enough money into politicians pockets rather then people actually sitting down and going through what the hell the act is all about.

johnny_ultimate

While I don't agree with the harshness and ambiguities of the bill, there is a significant need for copyright law reform. People will yell 'censorship!' and 'free speech' as if it's as simple as that, but it's important that people are able to protect their creations to some degree. Rampant piracy is hardly an ideal (or even justifiable) situation (nor is misguided and outdated monetisation, of course). There's a middle ground that needs to be found between two extremes. This bill, alas, isn't it.

Grumpypants

I think it is perfectly reasonable for the copyright owner to have control over their content.

Many games come with an upload to youtube feature built in, after this bill it will just be used as an extra for example if you are a COD elite player you can upload your kill vids.

For review sites it won't make any difference any site that is using copyrighted material illegally now are idiots with so many video's officially released for them to use and if they really want to use their own one it will take a few mins to get permission. Most publishers want their games shown as much as possible.

gizmo

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Now if there will be some conflict in the future, goverment will be able just shoot down all info that they dont want to get in to public hands. Its like a massive button for censorship, which will do a huge amount of damage to gamers and internet users. ( an all people in general)

SOPA has nothing to do with this though, it is specifically targeted at websites which are accused of facilitating copyright infringement. As long as the video is your own or comes under the banner of Fair Use, it can't be touched under this piece of legislation.

The problem arises when, to use an extreme example, a company finds a large number of its copyrighted works on a website. Under SOPA they can have this website taken down, regardless of the amount of legitimate conent on the site, within 5 days without even seeing the inside of a court room. As you can imagine, sites which rely on user-generated content like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube would be caught up in this almost immediately.

Helix

Grumpypants wrote: »

I think it is perfectly reasonable for the copyright owner to have control over their content.

Many games come with an upload to youtube feature built in, after this bill it will just be used as an extra for example if you are a COD elite player you can upload your kill vids.

For review sites it won't make any difference any site that is using copyrighted material illegally now are idiots with so many video's officially released for them to use and if they really want to use their own one it will take a few mins to get permission. Most publishers want their games shown as much as possible.

agree with this. won't affect many game websites or publications at all. if anything it'll make them even more important moving forward, which from a purely selfish point of view is a very good thing for me

jaykhunter

If there's anything we Irish can do, I really would want to know. I think this SOPA bill will be re-worded and re-proposed as many times as it takes until the public let it slip past. The idea of far too much power into bodies that shouldn't have it is terrifying. I know that day is coming; but hopefully not too soon.

Icyseanfitz

the only people this will affect is the normal (non pirating) internet public, pirates and hackers will always be able to get around restrictions placed on them through proxies and foreign ip's etc. hell whats stopping them setting up a site with a eu ip?

its the people that use google facebook etc. that will be restricted and punished, stupid stupid waste of time

Magill

God damn Americans ! Always trying to **** **** up for everyone else !

Can't see this being passed, but its worrying how big of an impact it would have if it or a similar bill got passed... all because of such a relatively small industry. Idiots.

Stev_o

To be honest the best idea I heard was websites like Wiki going down for a day in protest, imagine Wiki, Youtube and Facebook going down for a day telling people to tell US Senators or whatever to vote no. Think that would get the message across.

Icyseanfitz

thats exactly what these sites should do, imagine the uproar from the facebook/youtube crowd

ShadowHearth

You know what? It would be good thing.. In a way...

So many big companies are based in u.s. so if they got such idiotic laws, maybe they will move theyr business in to Europe and give more jobs to us?

Americans can block theyr own country from YouTube. Losse all those jobs in IT, and finnaly became a dump it wants to be.

Jonny7

I'm not really in support of the bill.. but there's the usual rabblerabble hype over it and exaggerated youtube videos that portray the end of life as we know.

Chances are, like always, we won't even notice it

SeantheMan

ShadowHearth wrote: »

p.s. activision is supporting this bill. Last game i ever bought from that crowd.

Notice on Video:

RETRACTION : Activision are not on the list of supporters for SOPA, EA is. The point is still valid, however I'd like to apologise for incorrectly naming Activision. I mixed up the two publishers in my notes.


So you never gonna buy a game from EA again ?

Krusader

Jonny7 wrote: »

I'm not really in support of the bill.. but there's the usual rabblerabble hype over it and exaggerated youtube videos that portray the end of life as we know.

Chances are, like always, we won't even notice it

It doesn't change the fact that it's a dangerous piece of legislation

ShadowHearth

SeantheMan wrote: »

Notice on Video:

RETRACTION : Activision are not on the list of supporters for SOPA, EA is. The point is still valid, however I'd like to apologise for incorrectly naming Activision. I mixed up the two publishers in my notes.


So you never gonna buy a game from EA again ?

As much as i hate EA, i wont have a choice i guess. Though i havent given much of my money lately, BF3 is different story.

Activision has enough money and theyr products droped in quality alot. i wont be interested in them and doubt i will buy much.

Problem still stands, and if you are trying to pick nick in my opinion, then be by guest, whatever tickles your fanny.

Icyseanfitz

problem with ea is that they have bought one of my favorite devs, so i kinda have to buy from the cnuts

Helix

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

problem with ea is that they have bought one of my favorite devs, so i kinda have to buy from the cnuts

principles are great once they dont get in the way eh

Icyseanfitz

well ive bought bioware games since baulders gate, and i am pretty pissed that ea have them but whats a man to do ea is the devil :P

Helix

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

well ive bought bioware games since baulders gate, and i am pretty pissed that ea have them but whats a man to do ea is the devil :P

well you either don't buy any more ea games, bioware or nay, or you throw your hands up and rejoice in your hypocrisy

personally ive got no issue with ea at all. too many people forged their opinion on them a decade ago and havent budged, regardless of the quality titles they release in the modern day

Cuddlesworth

gizmo wrote: »

The problem arises when, to use an extreme example, a company finds a large number of its copyrighted works on a website. Under SOPA they can have this website taken down, regardless of the amount of legitimate conent on the site, within 5 days without even seeing the inside of a court room. As you can imagine, sites which rely on user-generated content like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube would be caught up in this almost immediately.

That won't effect the likes of youtube, twitter etc. But it will kill any attempt to start up a competitor to larger established sites. As a example in a games context, IGN could be threatened with a market share loss to a small rapidly expanding company. Do a quick deal with a publisher for better reviews, advertising or whatever, get a team of people to upload **** tons of that publishers IP and get them to make copyright infringements. Sopa means that small site would go under in days without much uproar. But you couldn't do the same to IGN, there would be too much backlash.

Magill

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

That won't effect the likes of youtube, twitter etc. But it will kill any attempt to start up a competitor to larger established sites. As a example in a games context, IGN could be threatened with a market share loss to a small rapidly expanding company. Do a quick deal with a publisher for better reviews, advertising or whatever, get a team of people to upload **** tons of that publishers IP and get them to make copyright infringements. Sopa means that small site would go under in days without much uproar. But you couldn't do the same to IGN, there would be too much backlash.

Not sure if thats correct...

Icyseanfitz

Helix wrote: »

well you either don't buy any more ea games, bioware or nay, or you throw your hands up and rejoice in your hypocrisy

personally ive got no issue with ea at all. too many people forged their opinion on them a decade ago and havent budged, regardless of the quality titles they release in the modern day

tbh mass effect 3 and the old republic will be the only ea games il be trying for a while, and if they turn out like that pos dragon age 2 il gladly refrain from buying them,

though ea are pretty much the same as any big publisher, all their in it for is the money