i can agree that this is one possible consequence. or rather that it is a few possible consequences. i am already looking to move to hosting in Iceland. and i have singed petitions as an individual and would sign others. are there any organizxational petitions going around that NCSG and/or the Constituencies should consider signing? avri On 17 Nov 2011, at 10:20, Carlos A. Afonso wrote: > Consequences: additional stimulus for the creation of alternate roots, > seeking national TLDs instead of US-controlled gTLDs, running away from > US-based datacenters, and, for the countries which can, diversion of > traffic which currently transits through the USA. > > IMHO > > --c.a. > > On 11/17/2011 11:57 AM, DeeDee Halleck wrote: >> >> SOPA, controversial online piracy bill, gains support as lobbying >> intensifies >> >> >> (TRUTH LEEM/REUTERS) - Google, Facebook, Yahoo and other Web giants >> launched a media blitz on Wednesday with full-page newspaper ads urging >> lawmakers to vote against the proposal. >> >> >> By Cecilia Kang >> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/cecilia-kang/2011/02/28/ABFs9eL_page.html>, Wednesday, >> November 16, 7:38 PM >> >> Several lawmakers expressed support Wednesday for a controversial bill >> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/house-introduces-internet-piracy-bill/2011/10/26/gIQA0f5xJM_blog.html>aimed >> at curbing online piracy as lobbying >> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/web-giants-at-odds-with-chamber-of-commerce-over-piracy-bill/2011/11/15/gIQAkY5hPN_story.html>over >> the issue reached a fever pitch. >> >> In a House Judiciary Committee hearing on a bill proposed by committee >> Chairman Lamar Smith >> <http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Lamar_Smith> (R-Tex.), a bipartisan >> group of lawmakers said new laws are needed to help media outlets, >> software makers and retailers fight the illegal distribution of movies, >> songs and software. >> >> >> >> Smith’s Stop Online Piracy Act is aimed at foreign sites dedicated to >> pirated material, but Web giants such as Google and Facebook and >> telecommunications firms say his proposal goes too far, making them >> responsible for shutting down bad actors. >> >> “The problem of rogue Web sites is real, immediate and widespread. It >> harms all sectors of the economy,” Smith said during the hearing. >> >> Several lawmakers expressed concern that the illegal exchange of >> copyrighted movies, software and music is draining U.S. media companies >> and that current laws don’t give law enforcement enough power to stop >> bad actors. >> >> And some questioned the motives of Web giants fighting the legislation. >> >> Opposition is “really about the bottom line,” said Rep. Mel Watt >> <http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Mel_Watt> (D-N.C.). “Sites that >> specialize in stolen goods attract lots of users and lots of ads.” >> >> Supporters and critics >> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/facebook-google-join-to-fight-internet-privacy-legislation/2011/11/15/gIQAELOlON_blog.html> of >> the measure ramped up their lobbying efforts ahead of the hearing. >> >> Google, Facebook, Yahoo and other Web giants launched a media blitz on >> Wednesday with full-page newspaper ads urging lawmakers to vote against >> the proposal. Vague language in the bill would force them to shut down >> the domain names of infringing sites and would lead to lawsuits, they >> said. Telecommunications firms, including Verizon Communications, >> complained that the bill would force them to stop Internet traffic that >> contained illegal content. >> >> Supporters of the legislation, ranging from Hollywood studios to >> pharmaceutical companies, argued during the hearing that they are losing >> an estimated $135 billion a year in pirated material. >> >> “Fundamentally, this is about jobs,” said Michael O’Leary, who >> represented the Motion Picture Association of America at the hearing. He >> argued that not just actors and directors are affected; piracy also has >> a ripple effect on thousands of businesses that are associated with the >> movie business. >> >> Smith has said he hopes to move his legislation to markup before the end >> of the year. A similar Senate bill passed the Judiciary Committee in >> September. >> >> The House proposal came about suddenly, critics say, and without >> consultation from high-tech and telecommunications firms. >> >> “Inexplicably, and almost overnight, SOPA has morphed into a full-on >> assault against lawful U.S. Internet companies,” said Markham C. >> Erickson, executive director of NetCoalition, a group representing Web >> firms and public interest groups opposed to the law. “This makes no >> sense to us, nor will it to the millions of Internet users who depend on >> it for communications, commerce and democracy.” >> >> A Verizon executive said in an interview Wednesday that the legislation >> puts too much of the burden on Internet service providers to create new >> technologies to monitor and stop illegal consumer use of Web content. >> >> “We have a number of concerns with the bill,” said the executive, who >> spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of >> the legislative push. “And we have been shut out of the process in >> writing this, even though it is very technical and requires us to use a >> range of technically difficult things to enforce this legislation.” >> >> -- >> http://www.deepdishwavesofchange.org >> >>