Protect the Internet

A bill is going through congress that could allow anyone, without the consent of a judge, to simply have a site taken down if they believe it infringes on their intellectual property. That means, if I find any site using an image I made, I could have it taken down without notifying them or even getting legal representation. It also allows the government to censor or take down any webpage they find infringing.

It also means a site could be taken down simply for having one of it's users posting a link to content. Streaming sites? Gone. Like Dexter but don't want to get premium cable for a single show? It's prison time for anyone who hosts the latest episode, or even links to it. If someone posts a comment on a page, even this one, that links to infringing content, such as a tv episode, I could have my site taken down if I don't remove the comment quick enough.

Instead of measures like this, media companies should make their content more readily available. Customers would gladly pay more for monthly services like Netflix if they could get all the latest shows and movies on it. I've even said I'd be fine paying $40 per month or more if I could ditch my cable and not have to buy an expensive premium plan just for one show. Besides, I get most of my music from iTunes or streaming through Spotify anyway.

So, you may have notices a popup when you first visited this page. It's a one time thing, and allows you to quickly write a letter to congress saying you're unhappy with this bill. Don't let the RIAA and MPAA control your government, tell your senator that it doesn't matter how much they get in campaign contributions, you won't vote for someone who doesn't represent the public's best interests. The media industry doesn't need measures like this, it needs more innovative ways for us to pay for their content, because honestly, consumers would be more than happy to pay if the content is provided in a convenient way. Take control of your government and say no to internet censorship today. You can learn more, and show your support here.