13 April 2009

Say No to Internet censorship

The more you hear about the copyright police, the more you end up thinking of them as the ultimate evil.

I was reading the NYT article about "3 strikes and you're out" rulings. By the bye, why is alright to think it is ok to cut off internet and say it's not really denying a basic right and yet are alright with it for other things?

For instance, we know censoring alcohol and cigarette ads are akin to treating sound-minded adults as children (can anyone say Maoist State?).

And you can't take away some good books from the library or video games from the store just because some folks are using it for bad purposes ... no wait, people already do that.

So, if you are already taking away other rights, why not take away internet? That would be the cherry on the cake, so to speak.

Amazing to think there is massive legislation to protect money making organisations like the entertainment industry while there are many areas pertaining to the public in desperate need of work.

I'm going with what Marcus Brigstocke said on The Now Show recently. Basically that the journalists fawned over such rubbish stuff while they ignored people in power violating human rights over and over again.

Honestly, these copyright collection agencies like GEMA sound like the Sheriff of Nottingham. And you know how that story ended.

Update: I wanted to add this story about GEMA and Jamendo. I should really call these folks Sheriff of Nottingham from now on. Maybe add an American twang for good measure.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Yea... I've always though that you either accept the inevitable OR take away the internet...

Although if it came to that the 'money making organisations' would most probably pressure the governments to ban the 'evil' that is the internet.

Aktief Kulture said...

Ye, the money nabby organizations are trying hard to ban the net.

It's annoying tho; you do so much business over the net, a lot of open source stuff is on the net ... all of this will be affected by stupid rules like that.

Glad to know people are resisting. Don't know for how long.

Did you see that problem between GEMA and Jamendo(spelling)? Am gonna find link and put it on article. It was absurd.

Unknown said...

Have not seen the GEMA link - please do post.

Aktief Kulture said...

The GEMA link should be at the bottom of article now, under updates. It's basically about GEMA vs. Jamendo where latter was not recognised as the Jamendo license. I love the way GEMA shows up to collect money, very Nottingham.

Unknown said...

Oh and do you follow Joseph Mallozzi's blog? How that guy manages to write looooong web posts, manage the Stargate TV franchise and still have time for a life - I for one am surprised... unless there are android copies of him... or maybe clones... or maybe alternate reality versions of him all in this reality... or... I have a headache....

BUT... here's his link if ya interested - http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com

Unknown said...

Just checked out your link - BEYOND ridiculous!!!!

Aktief Kulture said...

about GEMA thing, ye agreed. Craziness.

Will chk that Mallozzi's blog. I've been keeping away from creators of SG stuff since they stabbed Atlantis in the back (altho I still check on the crew's blogs). It does look interesting.

Maybe he is like Hugh Jackman and gets someone else to update his stuff?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/5123901/Actor-Hugh-Jackman-embarrassed-over-Twitter-gaffe.html

Unknown said...

Yea - maybe. As for Atlantis - was a slightly less hardcore of a fan than I was with SG-1... Felt that, initially, Shepard was a weak clone of O'Niell... he did grow into it though....