MLG moves more than 100 domains in opposition of SOPA

@IRONSAM
Hmm but MLG have an awfully big wallet.

@OGC See, this is the problem. People are reporting on it, but in a different light than how we see it. They say we need to protect ourselves from these evil pirates who are ruining the world. They fail to say the impact this will have on any internet user. They are flat out lying to people and the fact they get away with it is truly amazing.

I really hope more people protest and do things like this. As you said, the only way for everyone to fully understand what will happen is for major sites to do a blackout. When you can't use them and you say "Whats going on?" then they will look into it and find out whats really going on.

@Zetsuei No, the actual outcome will be me thinking they're stupid, and stop using at least one of them.
And in the case of sites that I have actual money invested (facebook, paypal, ebay, amazon) I will be calling a lawyer. I know I won't be the only one.

@TaengtheHero Do you not know what SOPA entitles and just why it's important that companies do all they can to discourage it? If it passes, the government will have the right to basically block off any website they please from American ISPs. Yeah sure they say it's to prevent pirating and to protect people, but this is exactly what countries like China do to their citizens so that they basically can't read anything that could potentially be anti-China. You can bet your ass that if the government sees something that they don't like or don't want people to know they'll use this newfound power to blacklist it.

@TaengtheHero

Let me translate for you. "Waah, I'm calling a lawyer because something to gain people's attention to what will happen to just about every site ever affects me financially. I'm much more happy with the idea of those sites becoming permanently blocked."

@Drakkenfyre Let Me translate for YOU.
Since I do NOT engage in the illegal download of anything, and since none of the sites I use engage in that activity, there is no reason for site admins to try to use scare tactics against me or anyone else.
However, if they blackout their site for one day, that will interfere with my conducting business on that site, thereby me placing a call to at the very least, the Better Business Bureau, if not higher authorities.
Maybe it's in the TOS not to sue, but the law is still the law.

@Alphonze No, they will have the right to block any website that engages or knows about, illegals downloads occurring on their site.
That is it.
It's the ones that this bill threatens, the pirates, who have used the ago old trick of saying "it will apply to everyone!" to try to get this killed, and as usual, almost every single person has swallowed that lie hook,line, and sinker.

@TaengtheHero

First they came for the "pirates," and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a "pirate..."

This bill isn't aimed at individual law breakers my friend. Its like burning the city to lower crime rates. Sure the thief is gone, but so is everyone else.

@Nashk But that is automatically assuming the worst, that they will use this to railroad bans left and right.
Such will not be the case.
Only sites that have broken the law need to fear this bill. The rest of us can go about our daily lives.
Unless, of course, there's something going on in the back of our favorite social sites we don't know about.
But then again, if they meet their end because of it, it's justice being served.
And more importantly, the laws that ARE in place right now have proven ineffective. Drastic measures were called for anyway.

@TaengtheHero As a lawyer, this amused me greatly: "And in the case of sites that I have actual money invested (facebook, paypal, ebay, amazon) I will be calling a lawyer."

@TaengtheHero How do you have "money invested in them" in a way that allows you to call a lawyer when they shut down their website in protest? Please, because i cant fathom how that would work and need you to explain this to me.

@TaengtheHero

...you sound so ignorant i dont even know where to start...

you think only pirates will be the ones who are affected? Have you read the bill? Did you know that there are clauses in the bill allowing the gov to blacklist sites that are deemed a threat to public health?

Do you know how broad a phrase that is? "Oh this natural alternative to this medication, that can be a threat because we(pharmaceutical companies) cant make money off of it, let's get it blacklisted." That can actually happen.

There are also BS clauses granting those who identify "threatenting"sites immunity; imagine how that will be abused.

The supporters of this bill are using "piracy" as a front for them to further their motive; the control of information to further their position of power, and keep the masses ignorant.

It may sound ike conspiracy, and conspiracy may trigger the "omg this dude is crazy" look, but it's not far-fetched at all to think people in power will work with others to make sure they stay in power.

End soapbox

@JakeAuditore
They do have some dumb ads... but nothing earns my ire more than Progressive's ads. I want Flo to go away and never come back...

@BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam
I find it amusing that after I post this comment, Joystiq makes a blog post about a Progressive commercial.

@Vcize
The protest day was December 29th, I believe.

@Vcize

Why only do it on that day? If it's passed, go ahead and move them anyway. Less money for them. Stick a note in your domain transfers telling them why.

Good luck with that, the terms of service you agreed to when registering will make quite sure you waste every fake penny your 14yo ass lies about spending on a fake lawyer.

When you're ready to talk with adults, come on back.

@Sniper Specops My "14yo ass" is actually a 40yo American ass, thank you very much. And this is America, we sue for anything and everything we can think of. It's the American Way.

@TaengtheHero my spidey senses are having a hard time telling if you are trolling for the past 8 posts you have made or are just an idiot.

@maxwell97 I agree. Let's just go back to reporting on games please, Joystiq. Let the politics play out however they are going to anyway.

@taengthehero lol it's cute that you have blind faith in politicians and the government to do what's best for our country and that they couldn't possibly abuse their power to black out things they disagree with. I wish I was still as naive as you and I'm only 21 years old. Look around you man, look at the place our countries in You seem positive that the lack of safe guards form this kind of abuse of sopa won't happen. So what is the harm in the bill makers putting in clearer language and other safe guards to calm our fears? And why is it that you find outcry from a large number of American citizens an insignificant reason for the poloticians (who are suppose to be working for us remember) to take a closer look at the bill and fix the issues the public has with it? My good sir either you are a troll of the highest caliber or you are truly ignorant.

@killr0y Huh, I think it's a little deeper than what you mentioned. I think people are afraid of the prescedent this sets. The prescedent that the government can censor the Internet as they see fit. If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to want a glass of milk. If you give the government the power to censor websites for piracy what's to stop them from censoring something because it speaks out against them in the future? Censorship is apart always bad, especially when it takes away your freedom to choose. The lack of safe guards from preventing this sort of situation from happening seems like the issue most Americans have with the bill. Who decides what is and isnt allowed and which sites to ban and what measures can someone who feels their sote was wrongfully black listed take to appeal it? There is no due process in this bill and that is the backbone of our legal system. And again, this is America. If a large number of people speak out, the people working for us in the government have a duty to appease our fears and make things right instead of just continuing to push this bill through to please their corporate backers before the next election.

@Xero Theory ^The Truth

@Xero Theory Though I certainly understand those concerns, I find it amusing that this particular issue is causing such an uproar, when the federal government already has effectively unlimited control over our lives. They tell you what kind of health insurance you must buy, what kind of car to drive, what kind of lightbulbs to use, what kind of medicines to take, what recreational drugs to use, what the schools have to teach, and on and on... But now, blocking access to non-American websites gives them too much power? If it's specifically censorship that's the problem, where were all you folks a few years ago when McCain-Feingold prevented people from criticizing political candidates? It's only now that holy mother Internet is threatened that all the basement-dwellers start getting worked up.

So, as I said, I find this amusing. People who can't be bothered to defend any of their other freedoms are foaming at the mouth over SOPA. It's hard to take them seriously.

@maxwell97 nothing like hyperbole to try and prove your point eh? Or I should say fail to prove your point because you are bending things to try and fit them to this issue. In reality EPA standards and FDA safety rules have little to do with this issue but if you want to go there then at least they have their own definite set of guidelines and boundaries. There are safe guards in place that make the American people ok with "being told what to do" by them. That is the mahor difference between them and sopa. That and in case you hadn't noticed many states are challenging the whole recreational drug issue by legalizing medicinal marijuana. So please tell me exactly how the government is impeding other freedoms in the automotive and fda examples you've given? Try harder.

Now, obviously people have a greater tendency to speak out against things that they generally care about and that they think will impact them more than something they don't precieve to effect them. That's just common sense. Since we want to draw comparisons to things that have nothing to do with this issue, lets talk about the civil rights movement, The majority of people who spoke out and fought for those rights were the people it directly effected. There were a few people that had little at stake with the issue that fought on a moral basis, but the majority were those who had their freedom at stake. So were they wrong for standing up for themselves? No, not by a long shot. Now since apparently you are fine with just sitting back and doing nothing about anything in life why don't you leave the issue to us "basement dwellers" to stand up against for you? IMO it's better late than never for people to stand up for themselves and their rights. Why dont you sit back down and keep your condisending comments to yourself until you actually have something intelligent and constructive to say? Good day sir.

@Xero Theory Since you ask - the only Americans who are "ok with being told what to do" are the ones who don't understand what's going on. For example, many don't know that the new CAFE standard of 55mpg is going to force everyone into smaller, less safe vehicles. Many also don't know that the FDA continuously and needlessly tightens regulations to keep itself relevant, making every drug and medical device cost many times what it should; and it keeps life-saving drugs and devices off the market until they pass a bureaucratic and capricious approval process, so Americans get new products years after they become available in europe (and the EU is no less strict when it comes to safety). I could go on, but by these two examples alone, I can show how the federal government is directly threatening the lives of its citizens every day, and in fact I'd go further and say that the FDA approval process is literally murdering people.

From that basis, I hope you can see why I'm amused that you see yourself as the upright defender of freedom and justice, bravely posting comments about the "dangers" of SOPA. Just keep fighting the good fight, and at least when the feds decide that your health care expenses are too great to justify, you can still browse your torrent sites while you slowly slip away.

@maxwell97 Lol, sounds like you are just pretty much anti-government as a whole. You think it's the FDA that's causing medical prices to sky rocket and not the greed of Big Pharm and major medical corperations who are only out to profit? Hahaha that shows your true ignorance. The reason medical costs are so high is because it's a free market and our medical system is all extremely specialized and the goal of the whole medical field is to make money. They can charge whatever they like, because they know there isn't many alternatives if you want to live. The FDA has little to do with it. Their job is to make sure products are safe for human consumption and that they aren't marketed in false and misleading ways. They don't tell companies that they have to charge an arm and a leg for their drugs or medical treatments, only that they need to work in the way advertised and that the side effects need to be known. The EPA's job is to try and reduce our nations carbon emissions and other pollution. Just because they say "hey you have to have 55 mpg from now on" doesn't mean that the car makers HAVE to make a cheaper less safe car. The EPA isn't forcing the car companies to use cheaper materials so they can make more profit, the companies are doing that because they want money. And as far as I can tell, I can still buy a car that has been made before the 55 mpg standard was put in place so how exactly are they forcing me into a less safe anything? That again is an issue with an industry and not the actual regulations by the agencies you mentioned. You try to take the blame off the people trying to make money off you and put it on the government because you apparently dislike anything they do. Where as, I'm simply calling for more regulations and over sites to be put into this bill to help safe guard it from abuse.

Now, what I think is funny is that you assume because I don't like SOPA that I use torrent sites, which is funny, because Joystiq is obviously and completely against piracy yet they oppose SOPA too so does that mean that they secretly steal from devs and artists too? I haven't used a torrent site or any kind of download service since I used to use limewire back in high school. These days I have a job and I can afford to buy the music and games I want, so I have no need to pirate anything. The fact that you assume that everyone who is against SOPA is a pirate only shows how flawed your logic is. The more and more I read from your comments the more you come off as an arrogant d-bag. "I'm amused that you see yourself as the upright defender of freedom and justice, bravely posting comments about the "dangers" of SOPA." huh, I seem to be doing a little more than that by voting with my wallet and by signing multiple petitions. I've also wrote to my state rep which means there isn't much more I can do to combat SOPA at this moment is there? My comments aren't meant to do anything more than educatet hose who obviously have no idea about the implications of SOPA (and you're definitely in need of an education).

Now, you're whole statement begs the question, what exactly are you doing to combat the issues you bring up little man? Likely nothing except talking shit online and trying to twist things to make them fit your warped sense of the world. You want to try to insult me, fine, but that doesn't take away from ANYTHING I've said and it doesn't make you right, it just shows how small minded and ignorant you are. Like I said before, try harder buddy.

And even if there is any truth in your statements about the EPA and FDA why in the world are you bitching about people speaking out against another government agency telling us what to do? That doesn't make any sense at all. If you truly believed the shit you're talking then you'd completely understand and sympathize with those of us who are fighting SOPA. But, instead you are sitting here spinning some bs try to talk down to me. I find that a little weird.

@Xero Theory If I were trying to talk down to you, I'd have pointed out that you misspelled "condescending" in a previous post, and it took a LOT of willpower not to do that. Now, regarding the issue of government regulation, I don't have time to correct all of your errors, so I'll just say that, if you ever get off the keyboard and actually WORK in a regulated industry (as I have and still do), you'll come to realize that federal regs do much, much more harm than good. Nothing I say here will convince you otherwise, as you've obviously bought into the lie that regulation is necessary to prevent horrors from descending upon an unsuspecting populace, so I leave you to discover the sad truth for yourself. I sincerely hope that your discovery won't take the form of a loved one losing their life, when the technology that could have saved them is available in "backwards profit-hungry" Italy and France, but couldn't get past the benevolent bureaucrats that run the US.