LSD Magazine: Save the Internet

Friday 20 January 2012

Save the Internet - ASAP

We know what your thinking, Save the Internet, what are they going on about. How can anyone save the internet and save it from what you might be thinking. Although it may have escaped your attention or the fact you didnt see that tiny article in the national newspaper. Yes such articles are usually quite small and appear on some nonsenseical page. I cant remember what it said word for word but the headline was something along the lines of 'Obama Gets Permission to Turn off Internet' yes thats right and just months later a simular article appeared stating that 'Blair Can Switch off Internet'

Yes folks, there is an off button to the internet, just like the Global Satalite Positioning technology, remember when they switched it off while they invaded an opposing country, Iraq that was it. So now they not only have the power to switch if off, yes, switch it off, they also want to censor everything that appears online. Right now some of you are thinking about some of the extreme things that should be censored but stop right there because this isnt just about content you consider extreme. No my friends, this will effect everyone including publications such as LSD Magazine.

The world of Street Art Graffiti will then be limited to the sanctioned authorised networks of old boy standing. It may take some time for them to eradicate current street art graffiti networks but make no mistake this workload will be left to computers and it is the machines that will ultimately choose our fates. But thats just street art graffiti, imagine then the wider picture...This is global news friends...

Dear friends,

Today could be the day we save the free Internet.

The US Congress was poised to pass a law allowing officials to censor access to any website around the world. But after we delivered our 1.25 million strong petition to the White House, it came out against the bill and with public pressure at a boiling point even some bill backers are switching sides. Now, the Wikipedia - led blackout protest has rocketed the public campaign to the top of the news.

We are turning the tide. But the dark forces of censorship are trying to revive the bill right now. Let’s bury it for good today. Click to sign this emergency petition to save the Internet now and if you've signed already, to email, call, Facebook, and tweet Congressional and corporate targets. Then send this to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet_action_center_b/?vl

The bill would make the US one of the worst Internet censors in the world -- joining the ranks of countries like China and Iran. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) would allow the US government to block any of us from accessing sites like YouTube, Google, or Facebook.

We got the White House to switch sides and now our global campaign and the growing public pressure is forcing Congress to abandon the bill. Last weekend, Senator Cardin, who cosponsored the legislation, announced he will vote against it! Then six prominent Republicans penned a letter requesting that the bill be shelved. Now the lower house vote is reportedly on ice.

Just days ago we were told it was impossible to stop the corporate censorship cabal, but now this is at a tipping point and amazingly we could win! Let’s stop US censorship today. Sign this emergency petition to save the internet now and forward it to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet_action_center_b/?vl

This US legislation could infringe on all of our freedoms. But if we win, we will show that when people unite with one voice from all over the world we can stop the abuse of power anywhere. We have brought this bill back from the brink. Now, if we amplify our voices today, we can put an end to the most powerful Internet censorship threat that the world has ever seen.

With hope,

The Avaaz Team

Sources:

White House statement:
https://secure.avaaz.org/whitehouse_internet_statement

Wikipedia joins web blackout in SOPA protest (BBC):
http://www.avaaz.org/bbc_sopa_wikipedia

American Censorship's fact sheet on SOPA:
http://americancensorship.org/infographic.html

Everything you need to know about Congress's online piracy bills in one post (Washington Post):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/everything-you-need-to-know-about-congresss-online-piracy-bills-in-one-post/2011/12/16/gIQAz4ggyO_blog.html

SOPA and PIPA sponsors caving in to opposition (Talking Points Memo):
http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/01/sopa-and-pipa-sponsors-caving-into-opposition.php

White House will not support SOPA, PIPA (Huffington Post):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/14/white-house-sopa-pipa_n_1206347.html

Controversial online piracy bill ‘shelved’ until consensus is found (The Hill):
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/204167-sopa-shelved-until-consensus-is-found

ALSO SEE: SAVE THE INTERNET