Do you have a blog or website? Concerned about SOPA/PIPA?

[Tom]

Why bother with anonymous tip lines? If you see someone stealing, why should the government have to step in always? Email them, tell them the problem.

Because so many people of no moral fiber have no problem stealing other people's work, using torrents, etc. Set it up and let these thieves get what is coming to them.

[brad]

This is the best, plain English explanation of SOPA/PIPA I've found...



What does it mean for photographers?

You know how you post images on Facebook and tag your clients so they will share them with their friends.. and thus get the word out about your business? You won't be able to do that anymore because it will cost Facebook too much money to prove for every one of their users that they have the right to distribute that content.

You know how you post images on your own website and Google indexes them and your website? Google won't be able to do that any more because they will have to spend money to prove that all of that content is being published by the rightful owner of that content.

You know the images we post here on Pixtus to share with our fellow photographers? Won't be able to do that because Abel will have to prove that no one using his system is posting images they don't have the rights to... all the time, every time.

In the end, only the BIG media companies will be able to afford to use the Internet to distribute content.

Which is exactly what they want. They want to put small content providers out of business.

That's what SOPA/PIPA will do. Nevermind what they say it will do. This is what it *will* do. It puts the burden for stopping piracy on the backs of the service providers instead of the infringers. It would be like suing the owner of the Radio tower because the TV Station that rents space on the tower broadcast a movie without permission.

For a real world example... this is like stopping drug smugglers by putting up roadblocks on every highway and making each motorist prove they aren't doing something illegal by using the road.

[wondershots]

Looks like the PPA supports the bill. Guess I need to reconsider my membership. They should drop support until the bill is cleaned up. I'll wait and see I guess.

[brad]

Yes.. but I also know they got some major backlash from it and are reconsidering.