Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA?

Posted by chunkyslink on Tuesday January 10, 2012 @11:14PM
from the ask-hn dept.

I understand that the people of the USA are having to fight this crazy battle with their tech-stupid, bribe taking government but what impact would this have on the rest of us?

So if SOPA passes in its current form and they start banning sites in the USA - what is to stop the rest of the world from just setting up their own new versions of websites? - free of this North Korea style censorship.

Is it the case that people in the rest of the world could really profit from this terrible (law) idea ?

Dare I say it - should we even support it? For non US entrepreneurs this law is potentially great news

Is it the case that other countries will just follow ? I really cant see a lot of European countries doing anything like this anytime soon but perhaps I'm wrong ?

Thoughts?

( 10 comments | 16 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by dirkdeman on Wednesday January 11, 2012 @04:05AM (#3450969)

While the threat is not so severe for us Europeans, I do fear that if the bill flies it will impact the internet as an entity. It will not just affect Americans, it will affect the world. I'm also baffled by the complete silence in our media about SOPA. 99,9% here is blissfully unaware of the beast...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by hugo31370 on Wednesday January 11, 2012 @03:50AM (#3450939)

From a Portuguese citizen living in the Bay Area. The idea that SOPA can benefit European countries is laughable to say the least.

Everyone benefits from freedom and openness. When I started my first company in Portugal, companies like Geocities, Yahoo and Download.com enabled my startup. Today Google, AWS and Facebook enable startups all over the world.

If you think that thwarting innovation in the US can benefit some other country, you're not seeing the big picture. It's not about moving servers or people, it's about destroying the most prolific tech ecosystem in the world.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by chunkyslink on Wednesday January 11, 2012 @04:47AM (#3451065)

I understand what you are saying and I am not trying to thwart anything. The Americans are about to thwart themselves.

My question was based around the idea that by removing themselves from being the (and I quote you)

> most prolific tech ecosystem in the world.

- if there is anything to gain from being somewhere else in the world. I dont actually live in a European country (not sure where you got that from) and I see SOPA as potentially a way to profit and get ahead, providing replacement services to countries cut of by the 'shoot yourself in the face' mentality that the USA currently has.

By the way, I don't think this is good. But I'm an entrepreneur and we thrive on opportunity and this is a place to discuss these things no ?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by puzz on Wednesday January 11, 2012 @12:13AM (#3450545)

"For non US entrepreneurs this law is potentially great news"

That would be true if other countries wouldn't use USA as a role model. The way it is now, I think this is a big problem for the world...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by chunkyslink on Wednesday January 11, 2012 @03:04AM (#3450857)

In what way? Can you be more specific with examples ?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by damncabbage on Wednesday January 11, 2012 @08:07AM (#3451554)

Australia got its own version of the DMCA, thanks to the lovely Free Trade Agreement we have with the USA.

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Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by serge2k on Tuesday January 10, 2012 @11:53PM (#3450494)

It disgusts me.

I wish it was practical and possible to just dump the US from the internet along with other countries that oppress their citizens freedom online.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by nerdfiles on Tuesday January 10, 2012 @11:49PM (#3450486)

All I have to say is "lol". I'm sorry. But it's great that you just made me think of an Internet Zerg rush.

I'm an American, of course.

Dammit...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by chunkyslink on Tuesday January 10, 2012 @11:54PM (#3450497)

Being an successful entrepreneur is not always about having the best idea first.

Its about the implementation. You guys seem keen to make it hard for yourselves so we might as well do some implementing :)

We have pretty big markets over here too you know.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Non Americans: Do you care about SOPA? by nerdfiles on Wednesday January 11, 2012 @12:07AM (#3450528)

In a way, it'd be like the Tower of Babel.

I'm sure if DNS in its current form were to fragment like so, English certainly would have to take a couple of steps down from the throne.

I guess the throne would have to take a step down from the altar, too.

And the altar a step down from the turtle shell.

[ Parent | on HN ]