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The war for the internet has begun
13 years ago
Today, the US Department of Justice shut down MegaUpload. If you aren't familiar, it's an online file storage system, that allows users to upload files and share them to others via direct links. To be clear this is NOT a torrent site, but rather file storage and distribution.
In retaliation, the "Hactivist" group Anonymous has hacked the DoJ website, the FBI website, the Universal website, and the websites for the motion picture and recording artist associations.
These are in the wake of talks in congress over the proposed SOPA laws, and the upcoming Senate PIPA laws.
The government executed over twenty search warrants in over eight countries, and have arrested several people.
The war has begun. The government has not even finished passing the SOPA and PIPA acts, and they are already attacking and removing websites. And much as I had predicted, the online hacker groups retaliated. This is a war for the "soul" of the internet.. You have big media companies on one side and internet users, hactivist groups, and other people on the other.
The lines have been drawn in the sand, but the question is how far will this go? The government is treading on dangerous ground here, and if they proceed this will escalate into a full scale war for cyberspace freedom.
The sad part is that if SOPA and PIPA are passed, websites that promote the sharing of files or intelectual property of any kind (Including our dear FA) could be taken down for good. Even more sad, is that these bills are being pushed by large media companies that are claiming to loose millions of dollars a year to piracy. But what makes me curious is that they are supposedly loosing money, yet everyone I know that torrents things from the internet torrents them because they are too poor to be able to afford them normally. Most of my friends that can afford to buy DVDs, Blurays, and video games do such and refuse to torrent.
The problem is that there are no real ways to define just how many people are actually downloading illegal torrents without massive invasion of civil privacy and rights. But I will say that of the friends I have.... I can count on my fingers how many torrent... And the rest do not for various reasons.
Removing the ability for people to download information from the internet is an uphill struggle while pushing a giant boulder five times your own body weight.
People seem to think that piracy is a new concept... But theft has been arround for as long as money has.. longer.. The fact of the matter is, people are going to steal things. There's nothing you can do to stop it... But limiting the damage you do while trying to combat it is what should be the most important thing.
Do I support SOPA/PIPA? No. Do I think that piracy is as big a problem as the big media companies want you to belive it is? No.
But the war has begun. The US government and online hacker groups are now at odds... And the question is going to become who blinks first? Something has to give.. And if it doesn't we will see the destruction of the internet as we know it, as these two factions fight over what they each believe to be right.
..But let's not forget the old adage... The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
In retaliation, the "Hactivist" group Anonymous has hacked the DoJ website, the FBI website, the Universal website, and the websites for the motion picture and recording artist associations.
These are in the wake of talks in congress over the proposed SOPA laws, and the upcoming Senate PIPA laws.
The government executed over twenty search warrants in over eight countries, and have arrested several people.
The war has begun. The government has not even finished passing the SOPA and PIPA acts, and they are already attacking and removing websites. And much as I had predicted, the online hacker groups retaliated. This is a war for the "soul" of the internet.. You have big media companies on one side and internet users, hactivist groups, and other people on the other.
The lines have been drawn in the sand, but the question is how far will this go? The government is treading on dangerous ground here, and if they proceed this will escalate into a full scale war for cyberspace freedom.
The sad part is that if SOPA and PIPA are passed, websites that promote the sharing of files or intelectual property of any kind (Including our dear FA) could be taken down for good. Even more sad, is that these bills are being pushed by large media companies that are claiming to loose millions of dollars a year to piracy. But what makes me curious is that they are supposedly loosing money, yet everyone I know that torrents things from the internet torrents them because they are too poor to be able to afford them normally. Most of my friends that can afford to buy DVDs, Blurays, and video games do such and refuse to torrent.
The problem is that there are no real ways to define just how many people are actually downloading illegal torrents without massive invasion of civil privacy and rights. But I will say that of the friends I have.... I can count on my fingers how many torrent... And the rest do not for various reasons.
Removing the ability for people to download information from the internet is an uphill struggle while pushing a giant boulder five times your own body weight.
People seem to think that piracy is a new concept... But theft has been arround for as long as money has.. longer.. The fact of the matter is, people are going to steal things. There's nothing you can do to stop it... But limiting the damage you do while trying to combat it is what should be the most important thing.
Do I support SOPA/PIPA? No. Do I think that piracy is as big a problem as the big media companies want you to belive it is? No.
But the war has begun. The US government and online hacker groups are now at odds... And the question is going to become who blinks first? Something has to give.. And if it doesn't we will see the destruction of the internet as we know it, as these two factions fight over what they each believe to be right.
..But let's not forget the old adage... The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
dotter
~dotter
Very well put, my friend.
