Web Censorship Bill Sails Through Senate Committee - DHS seizing domain names

[Himu]

I love how the country is more worried about whether or not Obama is sneaking secret Muslims into the US or is a secret Muslim himself and not if the politicians they elect are being swayed by big companies to do their bidding.

I think it's mostly because people think "it's just the internet" or something.

[Bocsius]

itt digital pirates nerdrage

[EmCeeGrammar]

I'm moving to fucking Norway, jesus christ.  Its incredible how having free speech has done NOTHING for awareness of the mechanisms of our government. Its so fucking obvious that lobbyists buy votes, no one tries to hide it, and people still want to pretend any politician at the national level gives a fuck about you.

Fuck.

Haha, like I said on the first page, it's funny how many republicans are in support of this while probably waving the "small government" banner.

 See all those dees next to the bill sponsors?

[Himu]

I'm moving to fucking Norway, jesus christ.  Its incredible how having free speech has done NOTHING for awareness of the mechanisms of our government. Its so fucking obvious that lobbyists buy votes, no one tries to hide it, and people still want to pretend any politician at the national level gives a fuck about you.

Fuck.

Haha, like I said on the first page, it's funny how many republicans are in support of this while probably waving the "small government" banner.

 See all those dees next to the bill sponsors?

I mentioned that before that post was even made, so yes.

I'm just making commentary on the hilariousness of republica politican beliefs. "Communism! Socialism!" while playing the finger pointin' blame game,citing that the country needs to have less government, and then having republican politicans support something that feels straight out of China is hilarious.

The democrats don't suggest small government as a solution, which is why it's more funny to see Republicans on the list, is all.

[Great Rumbler]

It really feels like it's almost too late to have any kind of widespread impact on the internet. Maybe if this had come up 15 years ago, but now...I'm not so sure. The notion of the internet as it is now has become so deeply ingrained in people's minds that I think trying to radically alter it through government intervention is just going to end up upsetting a lot of people.

But maybe I'm being naive here.

[Raban]

It really feels like it's almost too late to have any kind of widespread impact on the internet. Maybe if this had come up 15 years ago, but now...I'm not so sure. The notion of the internet as it is now has become so deeply ingrained in people's minds that I think trying to radically alter it through government intervention is just going to end up upsetting a lot of people.

But maybe I'm being naive here.

It's been said in this thread before, if this passes it only effects the hardest of the hardcore. Most people only use the internet for Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, etc.

Sites like Demonoid and WikiLeaks won't really be missed by the masses, since most of them don't even know what the hell a torrent is, let alone which websites give you them.

[ManaByte]

It has begun:
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/130763-homeland-security-dept-seizes-domain-names-

The investigative arm of the Homeland Security Department appears to be shutting down websites that facilitate copyright infringement.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has seized dozens of domain names over the past few days, according to TorrentFreak.

ICE appears to be targeting sites that help Internet users download copyrighted music, as well as sites that sell bootleg goods, such as fake designer handbags.

The sites are replaced with a note from the government: "This domain named has been seized by ICE, Homeland Security Investigations."

For instance, borntrade.com, 51607.com, and amoyhy.com have each been seized.

One of the site owners told TorrentFreak that his site was shut down without any notice or warning.

The effort comes as Congress considers the Combatting Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA). Critics, including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) say it is too heavy-handed. He has vowed to put a formal hold on the bill.

[T-Short]

 

[Himu]

How much of our tax dollars were spent making that crappy photoshop?

[Great Rumbler]

And yet Wikileaks continues to roam free. lawl

[Groogrux]

[T-Short]

Btw, browsing by IP doesn't work either.

you can use a good DNS service, like Telecomix

[Diunx]

They did the same thing to ninja video, this has nothing to do with the bill, when you type ninja video on firefox's address bar it redirects you to a site with links to pages similar to ninja video

[T-Short]

Ah sweet. I wonder if there will be an underground DNS movement.

seems so

[Diunx]

Well I remember seeing that screen when I went to the site.

[Mandark]

It has begun:
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/130763-homeland-security-dept-seizes-domain-names-

One of the site owners told TorrentFreak that his site was shut down without any notice or warning.

Not only wasn't this done under (unpassed, unsigned, not a law) COICA, it was done after obtaining a warrant.  Remember how all the fuss was about the lack of due process, and not at all about nerds wanting free shit?

Love that quote, though.  "Just cause they went to a judge and got a warrant, they can't bust in and seize my stuff!  They gotta give me a heads up!"

[Himu]

Don't care about torrentfreak. In any case, didn't they seize a bunch of sites that weren't torrent sites but also online shops who sell knock offs of brands?

[Mandark]

Himumu, how can you sit there unconcerned when our rights as Americans - no, the very essence of our humanity is threatened?

[Himu]

I don't even know how I can live with myself anymore.

[Himu]

It'll never die, will it?

[T-Short]

I'm all for these notices, how can you not love all those awesome seals and cyberbadges

[Rman]

Sponsor:
Patrick Leahy [D-VT]

Cosponsors:
Lamar Alexander [R-TN]
Evan Bayh [D-IN]
Benjamin Cardin [D-MD]
Thomas Coburn [R-OK]
Richard Durbin [D-IL]
Dianne Feinstein [D-CA]
Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY]
Lindsey Graham [R-SC]
Charles Grassley [R-IA]
Orrin Hatch [R-UT]
Amy Klobuchar [D-MN]
Herbert Kohl [D-WI]
Robert Menéndez [D-NJ]
Charles Schumer [D-NY]
Arlen Specter [D-PA]
George Voinovich [R-OH]
Sheldon Whitehouse [D-RI]

So much for small government republicans.

[Phoenix Dark]

Save Wall Street: check
Save auto industry: check
Save anime industry: check

^o^

[Robo]

I love the little red and gold "Seized" backdrop.  I want to put up some wallpaper like that [in my rape dumpster].

[Dickie Dee]

[Himu]

PROTECTION IS OUR TRADEMARK

[Himu]

I dunno bout you guys but it's my dream to be a HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS SPECIAL AGENT so I can flash my badge on facebook.

[ManaByte]

Google and Bing both provide torrent links in their search results. Are they next?
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/101127-010659

[Brehvolution]

I'm guessing the word torrent will be filtered soon or it will just forward you straight to the homeland security site for a little 'scared straight' action.

[ManaByte]

Blizzard, Square-Enix, and many other gaming companies use BitTorrent technology to distribute their patches. Facebook and Twitter use it to update their servers. Will DHS shut them down for using torrents since the word is evil now?

[Brehvolution]

Many people associate the word torrent with getting something for free.

[ManaByte]

Many people associate the word torrent with getting something for free.

There are legal torrent uses.

http://www.clearbits.net/
http://www.legittorrents.info/
http://www.publicdomaintorrents.net/
http://linuxtracker.org/

All of those sites can be shut down now after the other torrent search engine was.

[Great Rumbler]

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) promises to stop a controversial Internet anti-counterfeiting and piracy bill from moving forward during the lame-duck Congress.

He recently called the bill, which has a provision that would allow the Justice Department to take down domain names of infringing sites and hold liable credit card companies and other partners, a "bunker-busting cluster bomb when what you really need is a precision-guided missile."

Wyden's move to hold the bill, hailed by anti-censorship groups, will likely delay passage until the next Congress, experts say.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/11/post.html

[Great Rumbler]

So what would you guys do to combat piracy?

Universal implementation of Steam-style digital distribution of music, movies, e-books with built-in, intelligent, but non-intrusive DRM.

But there's likely a serious fallacy in believing that the War on Piracy can ever actually be "won".

[Diunx]

So what would you guys do to combat piracy?

lol nothing I love my free shit

[Great Rumbler]

So what would you guys do to combat piracy?

Universal implementation of Steam-style digital distribution of music, movies, e-books with built-in, intelligent, but non-intrusive DRM.

But there's likely a serious fallacy in believing that the War on Piracy can ever actually be "won".

To the point that corporations want it to be won, no, I think that's impossible. I also think that the problem is extremely overstated. Itunes has replaced Napster and Limewire. Movies still make millions upon millions and when they don't they blame it on piracy instead of the movies interest level.

I still think record companies are fighting to stay alive. Really, there's no need for them anymore.

If you want to know just how desperate the RIAA is, just look at what they forced on iTunes: you can only download your songs ONCE. EVER. If you lose your files, guess what? Buy 'em again!

It's ridiculous.

[Great Rumbler]

What I don't understand was why the shut MP3.com down. Artists uploaded THEIR OWN MUSIC. If you're an independent artist, how can the RIAA tell you how to dispense your work?

Unless there was something else going on, the owners eventually sold to Vivendi. Vivendi couldn't figure out what to do with it, so they sold off all the assets and domains. It eventually made its way to CNET, but they couldn't figure out what to do with it either. It's basically just a shell site now.

[Mandark]

First they came for Torrentfreak
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a torrent freak

[GilloD]

So what would you guys do to combat piracy?

Universal implementation of Steam-style digital distribution of music, movies, e-books with built-in, intelligent, but non-intrusive DRM.

But there's likely a serious fallacy in believing that the War on Piracy can ever actually be "won".

Amazon.com?

[Mandark]

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-3804


Introduced   Sep 20, 2010
Occurred:    Referred to Committee   View Committee Assignments
Occurred:    Reported by Committee   Nov 18, 2010
Not Yet Occurred:    Senate Vote   (did not occur)
Not Yet Occurred:    House Vote   (did not occur)
Not Yet Occurred:    Signed by President   (did not occur)




Y'all can stop hyperventilating now.

[Great Rumbler]

it hasnt passed, and it wont pass

[Van Cruncheon]

once again, the manabyte rule remains unviolated

[AdmiralViscen]

much unlike the manabyte rectum