ASMP is Pro-SOPA

[Frank Petronio]

Interested to hear your chatter regarding the American Society of Media Photographers being in favor of the Stop Online Piracy Act?

Seems as though all these creative artistic types are adamantly against it. Along with Google and even Apple.

[Brian Ellis]

When I don't know enough to understand the ramifications of a proposed law, which is the case with SOPA, I decide whether I think it's good or not by looking at who's behind it. The Motion Picture Association of America is one of the big backers of SOPA. MPA is led by former Senator Chris Dodd. You may remember Dodd as one of the two legislators who, along with Wall Street, the two major rating agencies, and your friendly neighborhood banker, brought you the housing crisis. Chris Dodd for me falls in the category of "if he wants it I don't want it."

[Frank Petronio]

Does anyone ever read these bills, ever?

I imagine the staffers comb through so that they might insert something their bosses want, but my impression is that 99.99% of the time it's mob rule based on who else is for/against.

[Jay DeFehr]

SOPA/ PIPA and other proposed legislation intended to censor/control the web represent a serious threat to the free expression of ideas and innovation vital to progress. Significantly, these proposed laws would damage even those who expect to benefit by them, including those who believe these measures will strengthen national security. This is a threat to the evolution of a free and open internet, a junction at which we will decide to either join China, Syria, North Korea, Iran, and other oppressive societies, or continue to stand on the side of freedom and defend our core values against the misguided interests of big entertainment, publishers, other copyright/ IP champions, and factions within our own government. Fortunately, the Whitehouse does not support these proposals. See below the official Whitehouse response:

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petition...ative-internet

[Jay DeFehr]

Brian,

there's a nice primer here:

http://craphound.com/

[Bill Koechling]

I have not yet read the bill but as an ASMP member I will try to wade through the thing. For those interested you can read it here. A revised version currently being considered (Dec. 11, 2011) can be found here. ASMP states on their website, "The purpose of the changes is to keep the bill strong while addressing reasonable concerns, so as to increase support and improve the chances of enactment."

I think it's probably as important to have an understanding of how such bill might be enforced as it is to read it.

[Michael Graves]

I've read over both bills. While I am in favor of clamping down on on-line piracy in any form, there were several provisions that made me uncomfortable. Allowing a corporate entity any right whatsoever to demand changes to the DNS infrastructure is a very bad idea. You don't just yank an entry out of DNS tables in one or two servers. Yes, allowing that would have a noticeable impact on performance. I doubt that it would be as bad as some of the more vocal critics would have you believe. Additionally, as stated by others here, the enforcement policy is very loosely defined. In fact, the "offended entity" appears to have more enforcement power that any government entity. I doubt that is actually true, but it is a poorly structured pair of bills. PIPA is better than SOPA, and I think the two bills should be consolidated as a single law with a LOT of refinement before it is put up for a vote.

[Mike Anderson]

I think this is a good 2 sentence summary:

"The definitions and language and provisions are extremely broad and extremely vague," said Erik Martin, general manager at Reddit. "It would seem to be written without anybody who knew the technology."

[falth j]

Forrest, “I’m interested to hear your chatter regarding regarding the American Society of Media Photographers being in favor of the Stop Online Piracy Act?


Well Frank, "My momma always said…

"Life is like a box of lavishly tied and wrapped box of chocolates…

Until you unwrap the neatly wrapped box, and see dozens of politicians and lawmakers inside, all covered with gooey, milky chocolate,

“You never know what you’re gonna get,

it’s not until you take a bite and taste the ingredients,
that’s when you really get to look at what the they’re made from ,
and where the money that made them, comes from…

“You jest never know what you’re gonna get,

Until you see what money house they were made from…”


“That’s what my momma always said,
follow the money,
Frank, follow the money….

[Greg Blank]

Number of years ago, went through a lawsuit process that ASMP advised on. They suggested a lawyer for a group of photpographers I was included with. Some ASMP members quickly opted out while the lawyer advised us on the suit process and the fees involved. Eventually the case was won and a judgement handed down. However at the time traveling to Chicago from Baltimore to collect a few hundred dollars after the fees paid to the attorney did not seem like a wise choice. Had I registered the imagery with US copyright office I probably could have stated my case in local small claims court and saved the lawyers fee. If you put content on the internet in anyway its up for grabs, if you have a website someone will use it, it may not be for profit, but look at all the Art work- drawings that have various "Artists" claiming to be the painter. No doubt you as an Artist would be able to file a claim against the perp,...but most likely costs will be involved....this bill as was written before the suggested ammendments, would just cause way too many problems. I registered my discontent with americancensorship.org (Against SOPA). Personally I have never belonged to ASMP, but do qualify