Re:Wikipedia to Shut Down on Wednesday to Protest SOPA
by notahacker on Tuesday January 17, 2012 @09:05AM
(#3474906)
It's not about whether it would affect us, it's about we can
affect it. Speaking as a Brit, I can't wait for Wikipedia's advice on how to contact my local Congressional delegation.
(Footnote: Wikipedia points out that 55% of people supporting a blackout wanted it to be global, and its true this option had the plurality of votes. It's also true that the majority of people participating voted for something less than a global blackout. Not sure it would have been the Concordcet winner!)
Re:Wikipedia to Shut Down on Wednesday to Protest SOPA
by sequoia on Tuesday January 17, 2012 @10:01AM
(#3475088)
This is a really good point and something that the anti-SOPA movement should address better (or at least publicize better). I imagine phoning into the American consulate or embassy tomorrow couldn't hurt! They will say "we don't control that" but you can just let them know you are upset about WP being out, upset about SOPA, and liable to stop using US 'net services if becomes clear that the US market is "unsafe" for 'net business. I'll edit if I find more specific information for how non-US people can oppose SOPA.
Re:Wikipedia to Shut Down on Wednesday to Protest SOPA
by tobylane on Monday January 16, 2012 @05:08PM
(#3472663)
Often when other countries take the US's lead it's for an advantage, or by force (see Bush-Blair and the recent Spanish thing). I'd be interested to know what the international pressure people are doing now or after Sopa is abandoned, if they still try to get other countries to do something similar.
Re:Wikipedia to Shut Down on Wednesday to Protest SOPA
by p3rs3us on Tuesday January 17, 2012 @01:57AM
(#3474052)
Though I will not call it an international pressure, but what is happening right now in India (http://ibnlive.in.com/news/delhi-hc-to-hear-google-facebook-...) may be attributed to US's stand on this issue.
As a US citizen, I didn't want to be the one to say this (in response to e.g. https://twitter.com/#!/foxhuntingx/statuses/1589645062094274... ) because it might sound arrogant, but seriously, Herr Duerksen is correct: People in Australia, UK, and other non-US places affected by the en.wikipedia blackout can cover their eyes and ears and pretend SOPA doesn't affect them but I think this is a ridiculous stance.
Yes, much of the world looks to/points at the US for various speech &c. policies. Furthermore, much of the Anglophone world uses US internet services and products that would likely be affected by SOPA (facebook, youtube, reddit, en.wikipedia, 4chan, etc.). If it passes, SOPA probably will affect you whether you live in Boston or Brisbane.
There are many people who seem to hard time grasping the fact that US law applies to US sites, regardless of what country you are in (see: "Google turned off my 10 year old's Gmail even tho I live in the UK and it's a US law!!! US law doesn't govern me!!" <- yes but US does govern Google, which operates out of the US).
This fact is a good argument for creating competing services not based in the US (even tho it'd probably be illegal for us 'murkins to use them :/ ).