The Wikipedia blackout: What changes does it bring about
Dear Friends, Wikipedia got shut down for 24 hours in a bid to protest SOPA and PIPA what it calls a threat to free access. The entire fracas started over a proposal of US federal legislations viz. Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). What Wikipedia intends probably is to make aware it’s users on the value and significance to open access on Internet, but this move by Wiki sometime looks peevish as Wikipedia is such a service that has become an integral part of our knowledge society and its significance is much more deeper and I believe the way Wikipedia protested is not the right way as it only created inconvenience to the millions of people and user communities. Wikipedia is in itself a huge world of resource which by its very existence could have stood up to ignorance to the parallel legislative developments it feels irrelevant. There are certainly reasons to have concern over the issue as it is almost impossible for the sites to police over all the posts either text or video and determine if there is any violation in terms of copyright. That could probably be the reason that forced Wikipedia to act in such a manner as it is not just like a social networking site but something much more than that. It relies on a network of volunteers to update its website through its open-source platform. With the enactment of SOPA, Wikipedia could be held responsible for any information added to its website. The proposed legislation has provisions that would enforce sites to be closed if they find the accused sites are sharing information with someone else’s copyright. I accept the fact that owner’s right should be protected with given frames of intellectual property, but it is also true, this legislation, if passed by the Congress, is going to dramatically change the way the internet works today. Madhuryamay Das DRTC, ISI-Bangalore. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
Dear Madhurjyamoy, I sincerly appreciate you for making this forum live with professionally relevant topics. As you pointed out, a single day black out of Wikipedia created inconvenience to the millions of people and user communities. So what if Wikipedia cease to exist? That is exactly what happens if unrealistic laws like SOPA/PIPA are passed. By giving a demo, Wikipedia choosed the right way to convey to its million user community, the need to raise voice aganist such laws. Though the protests aganist SOPA/PIPA were in air from last few months, it was perceived and neglected as mere left wing activism by mainstream media. But Wikipedia's protest brought the issue to lime light. Indian public became aware about issue as Indian News papers (including regional ones) reported the blackout and its reason. Millions of facebook, twitter, google plus posts were propagated. As a result, many U.S senators voiced opinion aganist the bill today. A banner or a press statement or signing an online petion cannot create this effect. Earlier, a blackout by Italian edition of Wikipedia has helped stoppiong Berlusconi from passing such a law. I do support the way Wikipedia protested and I pity Google, Facebook and Twitter for staying away from a global strike. For Wikipedia it is a question of freedom, but for the rest it is a question of revenue too. With regards, Mithun On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 12:58 PM, Madhurjyamoy Das < web.madhuryamay@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Friends,
Wikipedia got shut down for 24 hours in a bid to protest SOPA and PIPA what it calls a threat to free access. The entire fracas started over a proposal of US federal legislations viz. Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA).
What Wikipedia intends probably is to make aware it’s users on the value and significance to open access on Internet, but this move by Wiki sometime looks peevish as Wikipedia is such a service that has become an integral part of our knowledge society and its significance is much more deeper and I believe the way Wikipedia protested is not the right way as it only created inconvenience to the millions of people and user communities. Wikipedia is in itself a huge world of resource which by its very existence could have stood up to ignorance to the parallel legislative developments it feels irrelevant.
There are certainly reasons to have concern over the issue as it is almost impossible for the sites to police over all the posts either text or video and determine if there is any violation in terms of copyright. That could probably be the reason that forced Wikipedia to act in such a manner as it is not just like a social networking site but something much more than that. It relies on a network of volunteers to update its website through its open-source platform. With the enactment of SOPA, Wikipedia could be held responsible for any information added to its website.
The proposed legislation has provisions that would enforce sites to be closed if they find the accused sites are sharing information with someone else’s copyright. I accept the fact that owner’s right should be protected with given frames of intellectual property, but it is also true, this legislation, if passed by the Congress, is going to dramatically change the way the internet works today.
Madhuryamay Das DRTC, ISI-Bangalore.
-- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
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-- Mithun Raj M. Scientific Assistant (Library) Indian Statistical Institute, Chennai Centre Library SETS Building, MGR Knowledge City, CIT Campus Taramani, Chennai- 683110 Mobile: +919379916419 Alt id: librarian.isic@gmail.com -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
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