Law that may threaten the site could pass in the U.S.

What do you do? Ban google? Ban all the file storage sites like rapidshare, megaupload, hotfile and Fileserve? (as an obvious example)

How far does this go? My avatar is technically copyright infringement - would it take one complaint from an anonymous user to get an entire website shut down? I doubt it.

If this does refer to the extract posted above then this is the key point to consider:

“This much-needed bill will help law enforcement keep pace in shutting down websites that illegally sell copyrighted goods,"

Websites that illegally sell copyrighted goods are one thing... Websites that allow you (or point you in the direction of...) copyrighted goods are something else entirely. Although, in the case of this forum - it's the marketplace section I'd be worried about there... But then what's the difference between the marketplace here and selling something on eBay?

Anyway, yet another unenforcable law - I would ignore it until people start to notice its effects (which I suspect is unlikely to happen) There are numerous variations of this kind of law going around all over the world... None of them have actually succeeded because the horse has already bolted from the stable and there's no way it's going back inside. Well, not unless you can handle a zillion customer complaints and some hefty lawsuits, etc.

If the music, movie industry (etc...) could do something, they would have done it years ago.

 

Give the media corporations an inch and they will take a mile.

 

Yeah, but if multiple vhosts are hosted via the one IP address then this won't work. A workaround, however, is to edit your HOSTS file and point assemblergames.com to 64.34.180.17. So even if they somehow DO manage to mandate what DNS server you're able to use, and stop those DNS servers from serving the IP numbers for certain domains, you'll still be redirected through to the right vhost.

 

sweden

 

Wouldn't our "File downloads" section be the biggest issue?

 

Canada might be a good place to host. There is no DMCA equivalent and the price and support is similar to that of the U.S.

 

On eBay most of these auctions would have been pulled.

 

If your talking about the incident I think you are they were hosting thousands of files that put US National Security at risk. This website? Not so much.

 

From what I understand this bill has been blocked in the Senate by the Democrats. Will find out more at home tonight.

Edit: It was Ron Wyden (D) from Oregon.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/oregon-senator-vows-block-internet-censorship-bill/

Relax, everything's cool (for the moment.)

 

I think many countries are having problems with these kinds of laws. The thing they have in common is that vested interest lobby groups have the cash to nag politicians into accepting their views about how the internet should work with minimal evidence. Imo a large part of the internet is about freedom to share information without asking for permission. I'm not saying I agree with people ripping off other people's work, but I think copyright laws are largely irrelevant today. Some other way has to be found to protect rights but at the same time allow for a free internet. The line in the sand for me is when people try to pass off other's work as their own or are making money from copying things without permission.

If we give in to these lobby groups then expect to see price walls, DRM, un-neutral net, disconnections. Basically, it will lead to a homogonized, sterile internet whose only purpose is to make money (basically what TV has become) and hang on to this 'right' for as long as possible.

In the UK we have the Digital Economy Act which could allow the government to make any laws to tackle copyright infringement without having to go through the whole Parliamentary process. These are difficult times...

 

thats an awesome quote.