If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you’ll notice that I use Wikipedia extensively for links to further information. I personally use it every day for research.
Today Wikipedia has gone dark in protest of two bills, SOPA and PIPA, before the U.S. House and Senate. If passed those bills would create new tools for censorship of international websites inside the U.S. and potentially shut down U.S. websites and their financial services, without a trial, for alleged copyright infringement. These bills have been urged by the entertainment industry.
Read more about Wikipedia’s decision here. Click on the graphic to see Wikipedia’s home page today. (Note that mobile phones will see the normal page.)
——————— Personal opinion about SOPA and PIPA ———————
On this blog I make every effort to insure that I have rights to display the media I use, but I cannot know if a website is lying when it tells me media is in the public domain or is free to use. If these bills become law, the federal government could shut down my blog without warning for copyright infringement if I used media from a place that lied to me. Very scary stuff. I’m contacting my legislators.
For today Wikipedia is dark and my links will not work. I hope for a better tomorrow.
———————
(image from Wikipedia’s English language homepage, 18 January 2012)
p.s. Today’s Winter Tree blog is below.
I certainly do agree with your assessment of this. At first I did not truly realize its full impact on all the sites. I think we are adult enough to discern the truth & if there is doubt, to inquire or compare opinions with other sources. I do not want a big brother looking after us with only screened opinions from another “agency” to oversee us. We are free to do good things & make our own mistakes. I love this blog and all who contribute to it with various opinions & info. And we learn so much about the being and “critters” who abide here with us. The older I get the more I realize that just how independent thinkers are so important & hopefully the younger generations will realize that and that is why it is great to live in America.
Kate….contacted my Congressman…..I enjoy your blog every day….everyone please contract you Congressmen.