For the past two weeks there were some people/congressmen who have been trying to pass a bill named Stop Online Piracy Act, otherwise known as SOPA. This bill will give the U.S. government power over the internet, you know the international one that the entire world uses and that you're reading this blog off of, yeah that one. SOPA will stop any plagiarism going online or "the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products," (Lamar Smith). The lead sponsor representative says this as if they put everything on the net and that others steal everything off that, which is OBVIOUSLY not true. If this bill passes it would mean that the U.S. government will be free to block out anything on the net and will be able to do whatever they want. With that type of censorship, the subliminal messages about sexuality and violence will skyrocket. "████ this ███████████ how █████ your ███████ internet ██ will ███████ be ██████ with █████████ SOPA ███████████" (Escapist Magazine) Now if this is what happens who knows what kind of message they could make out of these, like "join the army," "the states are great," "big brother is watching you". With SOPA there will be no end to the U.S. government can do, and this won't just be on their websites, it will be all over. They will probably block out this blog if this bill passes through. We've all heard that the media influences the world, well what about the net? Usually when you need to do research you do it on the net. If SOPA goes there will be the same kind of messages as the media and much easier to do, and those researches will be subjective to the State's side because you have no other information.
For now Sopa has been postponed "indefinitely", but this does not mean it is gone, so watch out for SOPA and fight against it for the internet to stay free. (Escapist Magazine)
" Facebook - The Escapist." Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. <http://www.facebook.com/EscapistMag>.
"The Escapist : News : SOPA Postponed "Indefinitely"." The Escapist. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. <http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/115384-SOPA-Postponed-Indefinitely>.
I believe that allowing S.O.P.A to pass would be useless. If the reason they are doing it is to have all information censored, and to have the population protected, then we might as well go to China or North Korea.
ReplyDeleteThe Amaerican Congress should know that if this law passes, there will be lots of boycotting, and there will be lots of protest going on, and that more than 3 quarters of the population would be in jail for viewing videos or downloading movies/music.
I still cannot believe people are trying to do this. like heck they're going to end up causing a darn war instead of helping anything! I really don't think they'll find everything "offensive" and block it, because the internet is huge!!! It will affect everyone negatively, because pretty much everyone uses the internet. it will affect students allot, which definitely angers me
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