Everyday, I scan my Google Alerts for news items and blog posts about publishing, writing, and reading. Many times, certain stories show up in multiple places.
But, there’s one about censorship that isn’t being covered widely—an action, in itself, quite ominous.
You, my reader, could be anywhere on this Earth with Internet connection; this story is about what the Congress of the U.S.A is up to.
{This post was first published while the legislation mentioned was still being considered; yet… something like it could well be considered again…}
Still, if the U.S.A. is going to begin engaging in Internet censorship, like certain other countries do, more is wrong with this purportedly Free country than meets the eye. And, whether you like the U. S. A. or not, what it does is still extremely influential on the World Stage…
I’ve featured Cory Doctorow in many posts on this blog.
The issue he deals with in Publishers Weekly‘s article, Copyrights vs. Human Rights, can be summed-up, somewhat, by these excerpts:
“SOPA [the bill before Congress] would create a new standard for ‘intermediary liability’….these intermediaries could be ordered to censor or block access to, and funding for, any site accused of copyright infringement, without due process, without a jury or the right to rebut accusations.”
“Such orders would emanate from the State Department, which would be vested with new power to demand Web sites be delisted from domain name servers….But SOPA doesn’t just arrogate these unconstitutional powers for government—it hands them over to entertainment giants.”
“As bad as this is, it gets worse: SOPA would also expand the definition of copyright infringement to include hosting a single link to a site that is alleged to contain infringing material….and [that site] faces all the same sanctions—without any proof required, or due process.”
I was born and raised in the U.S.A. and have watched this Noble Experiment in Democracy become over-run with corporate greed that threatens to completely obliterate fairness and equity for the vast majority of its citizens.
Doctorow’s article needs to be read in-full, so those of you inclined to take action will take action and those of you who lean back, bemoaning circumstances you feel are inaccessible to influence, change your mind and Take Action. In fact, those in other countries could pass this post along to friends in the U.S.A.—remember, this story is being craftily hidden from mass consumption ( I know, Publishers Weekly is a major magazine but Jane and Harry up the street don’t read it {many writers don’t either})…
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