I haven't been around much in the last few years but I caught a tweet from Tom this morning that made me decide to let loose a little rant here.
Tom did a good job of explaining the dilemma that is SOPA and providing additional source material. This bill is a horrible thing.. A scorched earth attack on the entire internet over some extremely minor copyright violations as a reaction to more major violations such as torrenting networks and illicit streaming sites. The grand irony here is the pirates will find a way to work around this; the people that are going to get hurt are going to be all of us; the amateur animators working on our craft, the vloggers, the musicians that decide to put a cover they did of their favorite band's song online.
This is going to end the internet as we know it if it passes, all because the RIAA, MPAA, and big corporations like Viacom and Nike don't like not being able to control you, because you can use the internet to circumvent their products, programs, and advertisements.
They that don't like that people make their own music videos for free instead, and small artists can promote and sell music online to people that don't want to listen to the shitty Lady Gaga crap they throw at us on the radio and TV.
They don't like that indie game makers can promote and make free games on social media that people will eat up instead of Call Of Duty. They don't like that Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog made more money than a piece of shit studio bomb like MacGruber, and people would rather watch Epic Meal Time than Rachel Ray.
So since they can't stomp on the people, since we will always be here no matter what they do, they're going to stomp on our outlets to promote and present. If this bill passes.. Even legitimate, non-copyright infringing internet programs like The Guild, Z! True Long Island Story, and Epic Meal Time will be doomed, because they will have nowhere to upload their product: Newgrounds, Youtube, Megavideo, Dailymotion, even Myspace.. Will all be forced down. Facebook will probably go down or be subject to SEVERE content policing, by actual police.
This can't happen. It will be the end of everything good on the internet.
Additional material:
WTF is SOPA? - A fantastic explanation of this bill by game reviewer and UK Law Grad TotalBiscuit
In case anyone missed them, or doesn't feel like going back to Tom's post:
Stop American Censorship
Stop Censorship
Save The Internet!
Please, if you haven't already.. Sign at least one of these. This bill has to be stopped.