JasonRehmus.net

SOPA grants the federal government and Atty. Gen. Eric Holder vast new powers to blacklist entire foreign websites that are accused of containing even one instance of copyright-infringing materials. Search engines would be prohibited from linking to any portion of that domain. We must protect copyright, but this bill represents a major step toward Internet censorship. It has the potential for tremendous abuse, and the extraordinary requirements it imposes will stifle the free flow of knowledge and information. Together, we will fight it.

Rep. Justin Amash

While I believe that those who violate copyright laws should be held accountable for their actions, I am concerned that this legislation also violates the free speech and due process rights of content producers and Internet consumers. As it is currently written, SOPA enables law enforcement to target all sites that contain some infringing content (no matter how small), and those who “facilitate” infringing content. This is comparable to taking down all of Facebook because someone posts a copyright-protected video to his or her profile. Furthermore, a copyright holder could issue an order to have a website seized without seeking court approval. Until actions are taken by SOPA’s authors to ensure that this bill does not infringe upon basic civil liberties, I cannot support it.

Rep. Pete Stark in a Nov 17, 2011 letter to a constituent stating his opposition to SOPA.

The Internet blacklist legislation—known as PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House—invites Internet security risks, threatens online speech, and hampers innovation on the Web. Urge your members of Congress to reject this Internet blacklist campaign in both its forms!

Make sure your representatives that you are on the side of due process and they’d better be, too, if they want to keep their jobs.

I love that rear light.

Sleep disorder experts are seeing a small but growing number of teens sending text messages on their cellphones while still asleep, according to a report in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

I’m totally using this excuse next time I offend someone with a text.

I’d like to move to a human-sized city.

— Jason Rehmus ☠ (@longstride) December 6, 2011

Looks like Patrick Rhone already does.

The SOPA bill (and DNS blocking) is what happens when someone with the title of anti-piracy or copyright lawyer has greater clout than your head of new technology. SOPA gives corporations unprecedented power to censor almost any site on the Internet. It’s as if someone shoplifts in your store, SOPA allows the government to shut down your store.

Click through and read the whole article. The author gives an excellent overview of why Hollywood can’t accept change even though it proves to be beneficial in the long run.

Since then I’ve scrapped together jobs here and there to make ends meet. The most rewarding by far is writing about technology. I want to make a full-time career of writing, and you can help me do it. If I learned anything in these last four years it’s that, if you want something, go and make it yourself.

Awesome.

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