Why the acronyms PIPA and SOPA should worry Kiwis
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8:54 am, January 18th, 2012 - 9 comments
Categories: internet -
Tags: copyright
Green’s MP Gareth Hughes explains the new US internet laws that have the likes of Wikipedia upset, and why we should care:
The Green Party is deeply concerned about the Stop Internet Piracy (SOPA) and PROTECT IP (PIPA) Acts currently causing quite a stir in the US and its impacts on New Zealanders access to a free and open Internet and online businesses.
Copyright is always a balance however these proposed laws give rights-holders exceptional and unprecedented powers.
These proposed draconian laws could see Kiwi websites blocked from the US and effectively the world by blocking search engines and other websites from linking as well as terminating online payment based on allegations requiring costly litigation to remedy. Imagine a small Kiwi online business blocked from Google searches, running online advertising or even processing VISA transactions or even losing their domain name because of a US copyright allegation that they can’t afford to challenge in a US court.
“SOPA would also expand the definition of copyright infringement to include hosting a single link to a site that is alleged to contain infringing material. Thus, if an author’s blog, or a book discussion group, attracts a single post that contains a single link that goes to a site that someone accuses of copyright infringement, that site becomes one with the alleged infringer, and faces all the same sanctions—without any proof required, or due process,” writes tech expert Cory Doctorow.
It will create tremendous fear and uncertainty online and will likely stifle innovation harming business opportunities in New Zealand and internationally. eWeek puts it succinctly “The language of SOPA is so broad, the rules so unconnected to the reality of Internet technology and the penalties so disconnected from the alleged crimes that this bill could effectively kill e-commerce or even normal Internet use.
Given the importance of the Internet to our daily lives, we should be concerned, even at the bottom of the South Pacific of the impact of this US legislation. The Green Party agrees with Internet NZ and would like to see the New Zealand Government to express concern through diplomatic channels.
It’s another example, like we saw in New Zealand over the Skynet copyright debate, that law-makers are legislating something they just don’t ‘get’ spurred on by corporate lobbyists intent on preserving old-fashioned business models.
It’s heartening to see a massive and diverse coalition mobilised to stop it, including a number of previous supporters including Sony, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, tech giants, like Google, have removed support and The White House sent a strong message against certain aspects. On January 18 a number of websites will go dark in protest, including some of my favourites like Reddit and Boing Boing. Overnight Congress decided to postpone a vote on SOPA which some interpret as ‘indefinite shelving’ but it still remains and PIPA is still live in the Senate. The day still it’s a big win for the opposition movement and will galvanise them..
Like Skynet, this law will be easily circumvented by those in the ‘know’ and won’t even solve the problem. As research from Germany shows, increasing availability of digital content demonstrates one can combat internet piracy without huge costs, stifling innovation and infringing upon basic rights.
Time will tell if these laws pass or not but it’s vital the world still has access to a free and open Internet.
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- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...7 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
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- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
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- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
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- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
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- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
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- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
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- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
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- Release: Labour fully supports greyhound racing ban
The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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- Rangatahi voices must be centred in Government’s Relationship and Sexuality Education refresh
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- Govt introduces archaic anti-worker legislation
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Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...2 weeks ago
- He Ara Anamata: Greens launch Emissions Reduction Plan
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- Internationally-trained doctors jump at chance to boost health workforce
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...17 hours ago - PM appoints business leader to APEC Business Advisory Council
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...3 days ago
- New intelligence oversight appointments
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- Ending contracted emergency housing in Rotorua
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...3 days ago
- Vocational education and training decisions support return to regions
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- Reducing the environmental impact of synthetic refrigerants
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...3 days ago
- Ngāruawāhia section of Waikato Expressway back to 4 lanes for Christmas
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- Appointments to the ENZ board
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- Government to celebrate Waitangi Day around NZ
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- More gangs added to Gangs Act list
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- Judicial appointment announced
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- GDP data highlights importance of growth
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- Strengthening Free Speech in Universities
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- Launch of Emergency Cellular Priority Service
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- Funding confirmed for second Ashburton Bridge
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- Government boosts support for avian influenza response
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- Levelling the playing field for media advertising
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- Inspector-General of Defence appointed
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- Fire and Emergency New Zealand final levy rates confirmed
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- More AML relief on the way for Kiwi businesses
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- Hawke’s Bay Expressway moving at pace
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- Government seeks partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned-land
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- Torture redress for survivors of the Lake Alice Unit
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- Greater reporting on Treaty settlement commitments
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- New appointments to the Charities Registration Board
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- Building consent processing times improve
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- New Zealand to assist Vanuatu on earthquake response
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...5 days ago
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This law of course has nothing to do with copyright but everything with censuring. Here is Max Keiser on the subject amongst others.
Now they’ve got NZ on Air to self censor what they play before General Elections. What is this mad world we are living in.
The world that comes about when dictators get control. In this case, those dictators are the capitalists but it’s the same as what we saw under monarchy, feudalism and fasc1sm.
The proposed US legislation recalls the saying “cutting off your nose to spite your face”
SOPA and PIPA, as with our own Skynet Act and the Food Bill, are all about bedding in a trans-national corporate hegemony. Patents and copyright should not be for perpetuity. All artists and many inventors have been inspired by or influenced by others efforts, and the private sector has a long history of innovating and inventing off publicly provisioned infrastructure. Humanity naturally builds on the efforts of others with each successive generation. These types of shonky laws are the price for a free-trade agreement with the US and I suspect will ultimately result in less innovation, less artistic freedoms and less civil liberty.
“Like Skynet, this law will be easily circumvented by those in the ‘know’”
Exactly
The Greenpeace website has gone dark in protest against SOPA http://www.greenpeace.org.nz
Thank you Gareth that was a really informative article I hope it gets more hits more people need to know about it so I am going to put it up on our local notice board.
The local home grown fascists have been complaining about me pinning these up on the notice board so it’s not just internet.
Keep plugging this issue!!!
It seems a web of legislation is tightening around our necks, even while we sleep, and being done in a way that although sometimes we are given the option to surrender-I-mean-submit, it takes so long to work out the real consequences of what is being proposed it is usually too late to do anything useful about it.
It seems that many of the issues these days are connected:
http://www.nznotforsale.org/2011/11/10/fair-deal-or-no-deal-trans-pacific-fta/
This isn’t democracy.