SB Nation and SOPA

by Kevin Nogle on Jan 18, 2012 10:00 PM EST in 2012 Miami Dolphins News

There has been a lot of talk lately about the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA lately - especially with today's blackout by Wikipedia, Reddit, and Mozilla. I have stayed away from commenting on the proposed legislation because of its political nature. As most of you know, we don't discuss political or religious beliefs or feelings on the site due to the explosive nature they bring.

However, in this case, the importance of SOPA, and what it could mean, needs to be addressed. SB Nation and its parent company, Vox Media, posted their official position earlier toda y.

You can also read all about SOPA and it's meaning and information about today's blackout from Vox Media's electronics site, The Verge.

What you need to understand about SOPA is the desire to stop online piracy is a good thing. However, the danger with this legislation comes in the wording. Under the proposed bill, it would be possible for sites that link to pirated material. It doesn't have to be an official post. Technically, a comment by a reader on the Phinsider could, theoretically, lead to a ban on the site. Illegal content is anything copyrighted - to include links to illegal streams of NFL games, and, possibly, any clips of NFL games.

Now, would SB Nation or The Phinsider be a target under the legislation? Probably not. But, probably is a dangerous concept. Please educate yourself on the legislation, and, if you feel that something needs to be done, take steps to contact your legislature. The bill is still in Congress, and is still being debated - but if it did pass, it could seriously harm sites like Google, Wikipedia, and the Phinsider.

Sorry for the breach of our own rules, but, in this unique case, it seemed warranted.

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so if a picutre was posted in the comment box but belonged to nfl would that be a ban hammer to?

dolphin fan 4 life
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Matty I"to nicky anyone over 5’6 or so is scary"
former Goof Trooper

by dolfinfan34 on Jan 18, 2012 10:15 PM EST via mobile reply actions

It's debatable.

There’s a good probability that even a post of a clip from an NFL game from YouTube could be okay under Fair Use laws. However, with the way SOPA is worded, it could also be against the law and lead to the site being shut down.

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by Kevin Nogle on Jan 18, 2012 10:18 PM EST up reply actions

The main problem (with its current wording) is that if someone complains to the government about content on a site

and claims it is their’s the government can shut you down with no court order and then its up to you to go to court and either prove the content was in fact yours or obtained legally or that you otherwise did not wrong. Also a site like Facebook could be totally shut down over the actions of one single poster. While sites like FB do all they can to police things it is impossible to catch every single thing that happens the instant it happens. It would of course affect any site, such at this one where people can freely post comment. Someone can post something on a blog that has nothing to do with us and in an instant the government can shut down all of SBN.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 18, 2012 10:26 PM EST up reply actions

you two are just full of informmation arent you lol

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Matty I"to nicky anyone over 5’6 or so is scary"
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by dolfinfan34 on Jan 18, 2012 10:29 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Yeah, he's full of it.

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by Alpha6 on Jan 18, 2012 10:30 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah full of valuable information.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 18, 2012 10:31 PM EST up reply actions

thats diffrence between you and alpha both full of information but yours can be used for many great things.

dolphin fan 4 life
Head of the Matty I fan club
Matty I"to nicky anyone over 5’6 or so is scary"
former Goof Trooper

by dolfinfan34 on Jan 18, 2012 10:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

LOL Thank you sir.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 18, 2012 10:40 PM EST up reply actions

Isn't Nicky's penis named "Information"?

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by joel311 on Jan 19, 2012 12:56 PM EST up reply actions

Wow, that something I know nothing of.......

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 19, 2012 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

Its good to read a lot and know what is going on in your world.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 18, 2012 10:31 PM EST up reply actions

Had a feeling it would be brought up

Sorry for the breach of our own rules, but, in this unique case, it seemed warranted.

What little I have seen of it, it seems like something that could be very dangerous. The thing that bothers me about it, is that it is a proposed bill in American Congress that as a Canadian could and probably would affect me and that worries/bothers me.

Hopefully Congress works out a bill that makes sense and protects everyone, including corporations and the average Joe.

by Agent J 78 on Jan 18, 2012 10:15 PM EST reply actions

Agreed. This legislation has little to do with online piracy and everything to do with power. In fact, sites like pirate bay are not even included in this proposed legislation from what I understand. I mean, ask yourself why Rupert Murdoch and fox and similar entities have thrown millions at politicians regarding this.

by The Scarecrow on Jan 18, 2012 10:17 PM EST reply actions

LOL Rupert Murdoch and Fox are the same entity.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 18, 2012 10:27 PM EST up reply actions

yeah no shit, fox as a company gives money and rupert murdoch personally gives money, you get it?

by The Scarecrow on Jan 18, 2012 11:09 PM EST up reply actions

LOL Yeah I get it. I know how all that works.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 18, 2012 11:16 PM EST up reply actions

I saw this tidbit on SOPA-

Under SOPA, you could get 5 years for uploading a single Michael Jackson song, one year more than the doctor who killed him.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 18, 2012 10:43 PM EST reply actions

That's just wrong on so many levels.

That’s almost as bad as Donte’ Stallworth getting 30 days for DUI manslaughter while Plaxico Burress gets 2 years for shooting himself and Mike Vick gets 23 months for being involved in dog fighting.

They were all stupid acts but the punishments don’t add up at all.

by Agent J 78 on Jan 18, 2012 11:53 PM EST up reply actions

the entire justice system is an absolute joke.

I can kill a person and someone rich and famous can kill someone, i could get 50 years in prison and and they could be released on bond

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by BSerious72 on Jan 19, 2012 8:06 AM EST up reply actions

Seems to be how much money you have

Sometimes I think ours is better here in Canada. :)

0100000101101100011011000010000001101001011011100010000001100110011011110111001000100000010100100100011100110011

by Agent J 78 on Jan 20, 2012 2:25 AM EST up reply actions

i hacked into wikipedia

open the main site, click spanish, then translate it to english via your browser

by FishNFinz on Jan 18, 2012 10:49 PM EST reply actions

thats not even remotely close to hacking.

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Miss the misery.
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by Patssuck456 on Jan 18, 2012 11:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

and totally misses the point of the matter

I never got a prize for doing what was expected of me.

by Tunaflipper on Jan 19, 2012 7:54 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

I was reading the French site

but unfortunately there wasn’t as much content in French as in English.

by Agent J 78 on Jan 18, 2012 11:54 PM EST up reply actions

Or you could have followed the instructions given on the Wikipedia splash screen

And accessed the full site from a mobile device in English!

by larkyphinfan on Jan 19, 2012 2:38 AM EST up reply actions

You could also access any page from the Google cached sites....

Google search something, then click the “Cache” link, and you had the normal page.

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by Kevin Nogle on Jan 19, 2012 8:02 AM EST up reply actions

or...he could have hit the ESC key on the keyboard before the block page comes up. That ends the re-direct. I guess it's all a moot point now though :P

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by tuscanitunr x2 on Jan 19, 2012 8:32 AM EST up reply actions

agreed, sopa needs to be stopped

I agree that it is important to stop piracy, but sopa takes the wrong approach. Here is a good analogy: you have to kill a certain group of people in the city of new york. You don’t know which people are in the group. So instead of searching them down, you decide to just drop a nuke and decimate the city. In this analogy, the people that need to be killed are the piracy sites, the city of new york is the internet, and the nuke is sopa/pipa (pipa is just as bad).

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by AnishB15 on Jan 18, 2012 10:50 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Pretty much

by Agent J 78 on Jan 18, 2012 11:56 PM EST up reply actions

SOPA and PIPA are very dangerous bills

Anything could be considered copyrighted material.

2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.

Miss the misery.
Need a reason for a change.
Need a reason to explain.
So turn it on again.
Don't change your mind.
You're wasting light.

by Patssuck456 on Jan 18, 2012 11:34 PM EST reply actions

im sorry robert kraft needs your name back you do not have written permission for the use pats

dolphin fan 4 life
Head of the Matty I fan club
Matty I"to nicky anyone over 5’6 or so is scary"
former Goof Trooper

by dolfinfan34 on Jan 18, 2012 11:44 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

I hope I'm not pirating

here’s the list of SOPA sponsors and use this link to voice your opinion. It’s easy as cake and you can do it with any or all of your issues.

I never got a prize for doing what was expected of me.

by Tunaflipper on Jan 19, 2012 12:27 AM EST reply actions

One of the things you need to know too

is that if you record say a video game trailer or even footage of gaming in progress, take madden for instance if you post your video on Youtube you could be held liable for illegally posting copyrighted materal. Thats how crazy and serious this bill can affect people. They make it sound like “oh we’ll never take it that far” but im sorry I just dont buy that. If corporations have the power believe me they’ll push it. Thats all im going to say on this subject though because I have strong feelings about these bills and have been active in writing my congressmen and senators and like Mosul said this isnt a forum for politics but I truly hope you guys will educate yourselves on this issue and If willing take appropriate action, however you feel, to make your voice heard.

by AKdolphan on Jan 19, 2012 12:37 AM EST reply actions

agreed

thanks for contacting your representatives.

by scrappy the wildcat on Jan 19, 2012 8:13 AM EST up reply actions

This is a decent

read, as well

I never got a prize for doing what was expected of me.

by Tunaflipper on Jan 19, 2012 1:21 AM EST reply actions

Something I heard:

If someone posts something on facebook about a youtube video that they found on a site like Chive then if ONE person randomly flags that video that it is a possibility they shut down Facebook, Youtube, and Chive to address the matter.

I’m sorry to be blunt but…

thats fucking stupid.

by BSerious72 on Jan 19, 2012 8:09 AM EST reply actions

Did you call your congressman?

i did and as usual his office wouldn’t state the guys position. sometimes i wonder if they are sticking thier finger up in the air to see which way the wind is blowing……. so if you call them and tell them you are against SOPA that helps ….

personally i think the "Patriot Act: and National Defense Authorization Act are even more dangerous – but this is definitely another government power grab and if we sit and watch quietly our liberty goes away and the government gets more and more powerful.
.

by scrappy the wildcat on Jan 19, 2012 8:09 AM EST reply actions

What?

You don't like the idea of the federal government being able to detain you indefinitely without charges?

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 19, 2012 8:25 AM EST up reply actions

anyone wanna pool some money together...buy a South Pacific island

and just live there? Beer, beaches, and hot women…mmmmm….lol..yes I know I’m dreaming…

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by tuscanitunr x2 on Jan 19, 2012 8:36 AM EST up reply actions

I hear Costa Rica is nice and cheap with clean beaches and all the beer you can stand.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 19, 2012 9:18 AM EST up reply actions

only if they perform enhanced interrogation.....

because that feels better to me than torture lol

by scrappy the wildcat on Jan 19, 2012 9:09 AM EST up reply actions

Mosul and everyone else

I’ve been pretty active in reading up on it and calling our “esteemed” reps…..

PIPA is also something to be aware of. SOPA has been put on the back burner because of the overwhelming response(However it is said that Lamar Smith is bring it back in Feb). Basically PIPA is the same thing as SOPA, but it resides with the senators. SOPA is a house bill.

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by tuscanitunr x2 on Jan 19, 2012 8:30 AM EST reply actions

PIPA

AGREE …. now we need to callour Senators today too.

wth? why can’t they just use commom sense and know people don’t want censorship………….

by scrappy the wildcat on Jan 19, 2012 9:19 AM EST up reply actions

Yes it's the other side/version of the same bill. I am sure that the net will ramp up its campaign against it (PIPA) once it

comes up for a vote. The big problem is that the wording of this legislation is being driven by corporate entities (can you say fascism) that have little to no stake or care in how it affects us or those that might be doing nothing wrong in the first place. Also this is being presented and voted on by a bunch of people that for the most part have zero idea how the internet actually works. It is always a dangerous thing when someone legislates against something that they do not understand and understand even less the potential effects of their own legislation.

"Theyas no fawking qwatahback!"-Anonymous Patriots fan at seeing the Wildcat formation for the first time.

by texascowpunk on Jan 19, 2012 9:26 AM EST up reply actions