Blacking out of Websites to oppose the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) by Mrs. Dorothy Barron
Your site, your prerogative, but what will businesses and entrepreneurs think about your business’ tactics of a black out? Can you afford to give customers and clients a reason to begin looking for alternatives to doing business with your company? The opposing positions and reasons stated to justify opposition of the bill do not appear logical and in a number of cases, juxtaposed arguments are illogical. I find many of the statements of those in opposition of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) self-serving and hypocritical.
We are charting uncharted territories and some have become pioneers of the New Millennium. We can resort to or continue some of the tactics of the 19th and20th Centuries, which entail fighting among ourselves; throwing out the baby with the bathwater, crying foul and moving companies to other countries to lose business, but rest assured others will gladly replace you and keep moving ahead.
Societies, their economies and entire ways of life continue to become more and more dependent upon the Internet and cyber space, yet, we argue as to whether laws should be created to and enforce the prevention of piracy?
For those of you who have not heard about SOPA, the Act is House Bill 3261and can be found at the Library of Congress- Thomas link, below. See the Note below, if the link does not work.
A better understood synopsis of the bill and positions for and against SOPA can be found at Wikipedia; the link has been listed below as well.
Suggestions:
- First, look up the definition of “Piracy.”
- Second, click on the first link above- See if you can find the definition of “piracy” as defined within House Bill (or H.R.) 3261 and scroll through this law before your eyes begin to glaze over.
- Third, click on the second link above and view at least one position for the bill and one in opposition.
In Part II., we will look at some of the pros and cons of SOPA; draw some points; conclusions and suggest some solutions.
Now, as for blacking out those websites- as stated before, your website, your prerogative, but may I caution; at the speed in which the Internet continues to grow; your site’s blackout may result in your customers and clients forgetting that you exist, looking for an alternative or worse, discovering they no longer need or desire your services.
Links for sites about SOPA mentioned above:
The Library of Congress.Thomas.http://thomas.loc.gov/cgibin/query/D?c112:1:./temp/~c112PzlyqQ:b0:. 16 Jan 2012. Note: Should this link have expired, click the home page: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php and under Legislation in Current Congress, Search Bill and Summary Status- select Bill Number and type in H. R. 3261 and hit the search button. It should bring up the SOPA Bill.
Wikipedia.org. Stop Online Piracy Act. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOPA. 16 Jan 2012.
From me, to you
Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author
“Slinging Stones… Blog” by Mrs. Dorothy Barron:
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http://mrsdbarron.typepad.com/slingingstones
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