January 19, 2012
US Congress: Ignore Rupert Murdoch and Please don’t censor the WEB!
Wikipedia went dark, Google blotted out its logo and other popular websites planned protests today to voice concern over legislation in the US Congress intended to crack down on online piracy.
Wikipedia shut down the English version of its online encyclopedia for 24 hours to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate version, the Protect IP Act (PIPA).
Google placed a line saying “Tell Congress: Please don’t censor the web!” to draw attention to the bills, while social news site reddit and the popular Cheezburger humour network planned to shut down later in the day.
The draft legislation has won the backing of Hollywood, the music industry, the Business Software Alliance, the National Association of Manufacturers and the US Chamber of Commerce.
But it has come under fire from digital rights and free speech organisations for allegedly paving the way for US authorities to shut down websites accused of online piracy, including foreign sites, without due process.
“For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history,” Wikipedia said in a message posted at midnight Washington time on its darkened website.
“Right now, the US Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia.”
The founders of Google, Twitter, Wikipedia, Yahoo! and other Internet giants said in an open letter last month the legislation would give the US government censorship powers “similar to those used by China, Malaysia and Iran”.
“We oppose these bills because there are smart, targeted ways to shut down foreign rogue websites without asking American companies to censor the Internet,” a Google spokesperson said yesterday.
“So tomorrow we will be joining many other tech companies to highlight this issue on our US home page,” the spokesperson for the Internet search giant said. Reddit said it will shut down for 12 hours – from 8am to 8pm Washington time – to protest the legislation.
“We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t believe this legislation and the forces behind it were a serious threat to reddit and the Internet as we know it,” reddit said.“The freedom, innovation, and economic opportunity that the Internet enables is in jeopardy.”
Ben Huh, the founder of Cheezburger network, said on his Twitter feed that his 58 sites, which include icanhascheezburger.com, FAIL Blog and The Daily What, will observe a blackout today.
‘Student warning! Do your homework early’
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales (right) announced the plans to shut down the site in a message on his
Twitter feed. “Student warning! Do your homework early. Wikipedia protesting bad law on Wednesday!” Wales said.
“This is going to be wow. I hope Wikipedia will melt phone systems in Washington on Wednesday. Tell everyone you know!” he said.
Volunteer-staffed Wikipedia turned 11 years old on January 15 and boasts more than 20 million articles in 282 languages.
The White House expressed concern about the anti-online piracy bills in a statement over the weekend.
“While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet,” it said.
“Any effort to combat online piracy must guard against the risk of online censorship of lawful activity and must not inhibit innovation by our dynamic businesses large and small,” the White House said.
News Corp chief executive Rupert Murdoch, who backs the US legislation, accused the “blogosphere” of “terrorising many senators and congressmen who previously committed” to supporting it.
“Nonsense argument about danger to Internet. How about Google, others blocking porn, hate speech, etc? Internet hurt?” he wrote on the popular micro-blogging website.
– AFP
Din Merican: the Malaysian DJ Blogger 
There is intense lobbying in Congress by vested interests like Rupert Murdocn, Hollywood Producer Tycoons and Actors, and Print Media capitalists to protect their intellectual property and to have the laws to prevent free media from access to information. Wikipedia and others want the freedom to create content and spread knowledge for the world community. Let us hope US Legislators will weigh the implications of the Bills before them before passing them into law. Democracy in America is now at risk.–Din Merican
Rupert Murdoch hates freedom of internet. He doesn’t want people to be able to find facts that will debunk his Fox News nonsense.
I understand the need to combat online piracy but to shut down a site suspected of infringing a copyright without due process? That’s tyranny.
wow, we’ve made it – imagine, Malaysia is mentioned in the same breath as China and Iran by these internet giants in their open letter to Congress! Malaysia is no small potato after all, thanks to Ah Jib Gor!!!
the internet must remain free from those ass*^%$#@…! period! Go to he*&^%$ !
They try dont they every where to curb this that and the other for one reason or another. So we must follow suit and plant our feet firmly on the ground and resist their need to curb our spirit.
…copy right is universally used to protect monetary interest of a few in the democratic USA. Down with these capitalists! Salutations to those who made free flow of info, for millions around the world. Thank you.
makcik, short lesson in democracy. It isnt just what governments do that we are talking here. They will always find a way to control and say it is for our own good. We have never denied that.
It is the fact that people can voice objections WITHOUT BEING JAILED ( for sodomy in some cases).It is the fact that there are systems in place that protect the people’s right to voice out .
As for Dato’s right to delete that goes without saying since this is his blog. You are not alone in that so stop whinging. Take it like a man, err a woman.
Makcik,
Who wants to see nonsense spewed by the likes of ilham here anyway? UMNO cybertroopers are not here to share their opinions, they are here to cause havoc.
Go back to the archives on this blog and read my editorial policy which I posted as my message for the new year. I don’t mind differences of views and opinions, but let us disagree agreeably. That applies not only to Makcik, but also to others.–Din Merican
DiDi,
Again Chillax! Anyway, it’s CNY. One just have to ignore them.