Wikipedia talk:SOPA initiative/Action

Support of information freedom
I think global balckout is right position of Wikimedia foundation. Its not just problem for USA users, but its large problem for all internet users as well.

Polititions usually support worse anti-piracy law, but SOPA/PIPA its worse idea ever. If this law will be accepted in USA its can going to be a world problem. Anybody will be allowed to block any website!

Anybody who support information freedom should undestand that.

But you can also support it by the other way. Read and connect your computer to this projects: Right now this projects need more programmers/webmasters and donations! But even you can't do that, just install software router, because each new user make them faster and more anonymous.
 * I2P
 * Freenet

This networks its future of internet freedom, because nobody can control them! Even RIAA/BSE/etc organisation cannot block real P2P network.

You can support Bitcoin as well. Its good network which can be used for donation for example. PayPal/Visa/Mastercard can block transactions, but nobody can block transactions in bitcoin!

You just need to remember: information freedom its not just SOPA/PIPA, its thousands of other law and rules. If each man here support one project or organisation which are fight for our right internet will be better tomorow! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.160.40.36 (talk) 04:26, January 17, 2012‎

The end result of this protest and it's resulting flame war was that many people who spoke up in concern for the right of intellectual property creators to copyright their work got trolled off Wikipedia. 60.228.195.58 (talk) 14:25, 5 October 2012 (UTC)

spelling mistake
"Most are commercialy motivated" (about halfway down) should be "Most are commercially motivated".

Right reason, wrong execution
This discussion was moved from Talk:Protests against SOPA and PIPA per NOTFORUM.  Nolelover   Talk · Contribs  16:27, 26 January 2012 (UTC)

This is the discussion page, so I hope this does not get deleted. Note I did not make any edits or changes to the article, nor will I.

I think the blackout was sad. The photo of the "Wikipedia team" celebrating as they took a source away that many of depend on, and through donations have paid for, was frankly, disgusting.

Is the proposed SOPA and PIPA wrong? You bet it is, and I am the first to tell anyone. I have written my representatives, long before this became "big news" However, is it also wrong for large internet sources such as Wikipedia and Google to suddenly block or interfere with our use of the internet? Absolutely. What you did that night is just as shameful as what SOPA and PIPA is 'trying" to do.

To me and many others it was seen as a childish act. Upset about the "game" so taking your bases and going home. For me I have decided to invest and purchase a reliable source for an Encyclopedia. The money that I have donated to Wikipedia will go toward something that is more dependable, and can't be taken away at a whim.

Yes it is your home, and you can do with it as you like. However it is a "home" that you have invited others to help maintain. Just weeks previous to the blackout you begged for donations. I suggest that you not solicit donations in the future if you plan on more blackouts.

You see the problem is, you have a project here that you can do as you like. Legally you have every right to do a blackout, or completely shut down. There is nothing stopping you. But is that right? Is it fair? When you ask for other to contribute, either financially or through their time, you become obligated to them. Perhaps not legally, but in other ways.

And finally your actions have even caused some to re-think government control over the internet. And not for the good. Some (in the real world) are questioning if perhaps there does need to be regulation, to prevent someone from doing just what you did and have done. Allow the common person to become dependent on a source that can easily be taken away by a few in control. Imagine what would happen if the power grid suddenly shut down at the direction of a few? Of course we know that can't happen, and some say that is due to government regulation.

I hope you seriously re-think any further actions.

Thank you for your time.

Best Regards

— Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.196.33.229 (talk) 21:59, 24 January 2012 (UTC)


 * Thanks. I think, I'd ask you to think on this. Understand we ourselves are creators, authors and writers - we give up our free time to give this to people. Thousands of hours, not a cent asked. We did this - communally - because we felt we needed to. We saw this place would be at risk of being taken from the world, and not just this, millions of other sites. That's literal by the way, not a random figure - over a hundred thousand websites joined the protest and that's a tiny proportion of those capable of being affected. SOPA, PIPA and their related laws would make it impossible to run the web and all the good it does. We were sad too. But when you are one of the few with enough who care and trust you - trust you aren't doing it for money, or fame, or humor, or impulsiveness. We talked for over a month trying to see what we felt was needed. I join you in hoping we don't need to again. I think it's an example of the price of freedom being eternal vigilance. There are no sure answers. But we have sought honest, responsible ones, and now... we are heading back to writing articles on frogs and films and pokemon and shoes and pop stars and philosophy.... it's been a week that with luck will be able to be left in the past as we move on. Sometimes not stopping to raise a voice when one could is worse. If we hadn't, everyone here would have only themselves to blame if the consequences were as we felt they would be. We're used to looking at documents and seeing if their claims add up or not... here, we felt they truly did. I hope we did right. I hope we never have to find out. FT2 (Talk 02:20, 25 January 2012 (UTC)


 * Over 11 years - we're in our 12th now - we have learned to come to decisions by discussion. Usually, anyway. Here one learns to listen and respect others, or at least one can if one wishes. I see that you care, and it means something that you comment here, explaining why you are concerned. It's meaningful. FT2 (Talk 02:28, 25 January 2012 (UTC)


 * (And try this: sign by adding four ~ in a row: ~ . It signs your IP and the date. If you have an account and log in, it'll sign your name and date instead) FT2 (Talk 02:21, 25 January 2012 (UTC)

Thank you both very much for your reply and help with signing in. I now have an account. As to the subject, I fully agree that SOPA and PIPA needed/needs to be stopped. Although slowed, I think they are still very much alive, and will resurface after the election in November 2012. My issue was not your purpose, I applaud you for that! But the way you went about it. The blackout, I still say, was wrong. As I do not like people that complain and offer no solutions, I will propose some alternative solutions to a black out. Some I will even help with.

1. You did wonderful, thoughtful banners during your fundraising awareness. What's wrong with putting a banner on full time against SOPA and PIPA, and change it (roll) so folks will not get use to seeing the same image.

2. Wikipedia is accessed by millions. Great exposure... use that to organize peaceful, legal, protests all over the country... the world. THAT I can help with.

3. Have a SOPA/PIPA "Click Here" icon on full time. Clicking the icon would lead to a "diary" discussing updates. Having daily updates as to what is going on is helpful. If someone can set it up, I will be glad to keep it updated.

I am sure I can come up with more. My point is to have Wikipedia be a shining example of the free internet. ABOVE the chaos, above games, and above and better than what SOPA and PIPA proposes. They can play ugly, you... we... need to be better! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mt6617 (talk • contribs) 22:26, 25 January 2012 (UTC)

Barnstar for "participation"
Still waiting on that Barnstar, since, you know... I participated.

By the way, how's SOPA treating you all these days... LOL.... Jersey John (talk) 19:13, 2 February 2016 (UTC)

Still waiting on that Barnstar. Archives show how involved I was in discussion. Jersey John (talk) 08:37, 15 June 2020 (UTC)