Wikipedia Still Set For Full Blackout Wednesday 291
symbolset writes "Jimmy Wales confirms that the entire English language Wikipedia will be on blackout January 18th from midnight to midnight, Eastern Standard Time. The site's 25 million daily users will redirected to an education page with a call to action. Votes are still being taken on the exact implementation."
Despite a small victory against SOPA in the House, Wikipedia still feels the blackout is necessary due to the looming Senate vote on PROTECT IP, and as a deterrent to future attempts to revive a similar law under a new name.
How to do the same on your site (Score:5, Informative)
Probably been posted already on a prior thread, but if you want to support the blackout on your website, blog, twitter, facebook, etc. there is useful info here [sopastrike.com].
Re:Yeah, thanks Jimmy. (Score:5, Informative)
We also noted that roughly 55% of those supporting a blackout preferred that it be a global one, with many pointing to concerns about similar legislation in other nations. For example, one British editor stated "American law is America's business, but law that affects Wikipedia worldwide is an issue of worldwide interest", a principle we felt had considerable support.
Re:Chicken! (Score:5, Informative)
Even blocking domains is enough to cause massive damage: most sites outside USA still use .org, .com and .net, especially in English speaking countries.
My production will go up (Score:5, Informative)
With all the sites going dark tomorrow, my work production will see a marked rise.
Re:and what is wrong with "class warfare" ? (Score:3, Informative)
The East India Tea company didn't say "Raise taxes on tea". It was big government (King George), who wanted to pay for British programs on the backs of the American colonies... something the Americans had no say in due to the turn around time in sending representatives.
The rich evil corporations are at the mercy of the public. They must convince you to give them your money, unlike the Government that can take it by gunpoint. Don't believe me? Ask Verizon how that $2 "Pay my bill fee" went? Or Ask Netflix about how splitting and dumping the DVD-by-mail service went? Or Bank of America's Debit-card fees went? Did we have to pass laws, change government, or even our evil capitalist ways to make these changes? No. We just said "if you do that, we will take our business elsewhere... and that is the power of capitalism. If you lose your customer base, you lose capital. You lose capital, you lose your business. No "To big to fail" BS. No bailouts. Keep customers happy, and they will reward you. Screw them over, and you will find your behind on the curb. That is how the system should work.
Re: Citizens United (Score:5, Informative)
Well, actually
Citizens United became a front group for giant corporations, both within and without the United States when our Supreme Court decided, as Mitt Romney said, "Corporations are people, too." And thus, they have a right to free speech. And that right ought not to be abridged, especially in politics (except we do abridge individuals right of freedom of speech by calling it a "verbal act.").
This is wholesale misuse of the 14th Amendment, which was actually written to give persons of African and non-European ancestry full citizenship in the US. It has been interpreted by people who ought to have their heads examined as "Corporations are people, too and, because there are more people, they are deserving of extra protection.
Of course, in their infinite wisdom, our Supreme Court did not consider the fact that many big Corporations are multinational now and, since they are permitted to use any amount of their money for "free speech," much of that money can come from overseas.
Which suggests, for example, that Ron Paul's SuperPAC is actually run by Iran, who would really like for the United States to be ultra-isolationist. I'm not in possession of any certain knowledge that it is, but since there are no laws requiring any reporting and since Ron Paul did vote to prevent any reporting, this makes him suspect.
So Citizens United might have initially been a well-intentioned group, but it has morphed into the single worse Supreme Court Decision in this country since the Dred Scott Case.
Re:Chicken! (Score:1, Informative)
Yet SOPA/PIPA would have allowed Sony (a Japanese company) and Vivendi Universal (a French company) to shut down American websites on a mere accusation of copyright violation.
Since some businesses are web-only, this might have meant the death penalty for any small business so accused.
How did Congress get so jam-packed with idiots?