I’m not going to harp on too much about what the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is, rather, if you don’t already know I implore you to hit that link and find out for yourself—after-all, the internet is all about discovery. [Note that it’s one of the few (English) Wikipedia pages that are ‘open for business’ at the time of writing after Wikipedia staged a protest against SOPA (and sister-bill PIPA) by blacking out its website to the English speaking world.]
Whilst it might have a legitimate basis, if the bill is legislated expect a litigation free-for-all from US copyright holders, preventing decent websites and search engines from doing what they do best.
The big boys (let’s face it—most of them are boys) want to hold all of the cards. They would no-doubt use SOPA as a launch pad for turning the internet into a dumb content delivery system that attempts to placate us with its thin veneer of 'choice'. Sound familiar? Sounds like television!
Some of you may think I’m overreacting—but the ramifications are broad.
That Internet meme featuring a few seconds of an 80s action flick? —yeah no real biggy if we lose it but it would spell trouble for Youtube. That search engine you use to link to content owned by a multi-national? —that could be interpreted as a violation of intellectual property. Can’t remember the lyrics to a song? —you should probably pay for the privilege of refreshing your memory. Wikipedia? —totally fucked.
WP's Jimmy Wales handling loaded questions: "Here's Pirate Bay—do you LOVE Pirate Bay?"
Speaking of Wikipedia and it’s blackout protest. I’ve only just realised how much I rely on that service. Even if it was only to confirm something I already know (no doubt something I read on the site previously)—I’ve Googled 5 times already, expecting to find a WP entry as my top result. I'm reckoning that I would reference Wikipedia 20 times a day on a good day. Wikipedia has its critics, but how dumb are we without it?
Here’s the blurb from the Wikipedia blackout:
Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge
For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia (sic) in human history. Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia. Learn more.
So kids, I might sound like the crazy-old-man-sitting-on-the-porch-in-a-rocking-chair (and probably copyrighted) cliché who warns y'all of impending doom and gloom, but it's important to be alarmed and scared by all this.
Sure, it's only happening in America and there's not a lot we can do here—but so much of the online content that we consume and share is generated in America. So many of those big multi-nationals have arms of their businesses here in Australia. Too often have Australian authorities pandered to their American counterparts.
Hitler needs Wikipedia. This meme would be banned under SOPA.