A conversation with an old friend. What do you think? Do you?
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Friend:Hey Tom - Question for ya.
ME: Whats up?
FRIEND:How do you feel about this SOPA legislation?
ME: I'd say it's a rush to a decision that needs more thought.
Content providers and distributors need to figure out a way to generate revenue off of free distribution
I think places like youtube have a good start in where this should go
If your video gets enough hits, google get a hold of you and offer to pay you to put ads on your video---nice
This seems to be, more than anything, TV station's and movie studio's version of what happened with the music industry about a decade ago.
FRIEND:I could imagine.. I was hoping for a nice constructive answer, seems that like it or not distribution through "alternative" albeit potentially illegal channels is a reality that cant necessarily be fought in the traditional sense. What are your feelings in regards to the "internet infringement" possibility i.e. being more heavily monitored and or censored etc..?
ME: The internet needs to stay neutral at all costs
FRIEND:Amen
ME: It's bad enough that everybody has to pay comcast for routing.
FRIEND:Firefox just released an app. that would in theory "bypass" and SOPA monitoring, but I wonder how worried one ought to be ya know. Everything is starting to ahve an oddly Orwellian feel to it lately.
ME:If they get a monopoly on speed, only the people with lots of money will be able to utilize the web efficiently.
The direct comparison is to centuries ago, just before the printing press. Only churches/royals (who had all of the resources) were distributing info (books) and the info that got out was only what THEY wanted people to hear, whether true or not.
So, media content providers (such as myself) need to figure out a way to track and monitor how our content is distributed, but the more people who can see my videos, the better. I just want to get it out there to you. The problem is figuring out a way to make enough money to keep providing this content. The answer shouldn't involve censorship of the web.
The silly thing is it's like we turned the faucet on for everyone to have a drink of water, and a few people (big studios, tv channels, special interest groups, etc.) are trying to grab at this water on its way to your mouth.
Most of us just want you to throw a coin in the fountain, but a couple of people think they need to bottle it up for you and force you to buy it that way.
FRIEND:Fairly reasonable. I mean, in all likely hood people will pay for things they enjoy/support especially when it comes to aspiring content. I just fear a new precedent being set of consistent drive towards minimizing my rights and everyone else's while at the same the majority of people are none-the wiser. Then to make it worse, anyone who tries to bring attention to it (I.E. myself) is for the most part looked at as a cooky/crazy person, who's just making noise and stirring the pot. I mean when did distracting yourself with nonsense become the norm? OF course i'm applying this question to a modern framework of context-in that people more than ever have access and efficient means of educating themselves to the realities of the political/social/economic construct of this country (via the internet etc...) Why is avoidance of uncomfortable topics the norm?
*sigh*
ME: Yeah, the SOPA act could also be seen as an excuse for the public's communication channels to each other to be restrained while simultaneously companies like Comcast charge us even more money for less functionality, all the while we're being told via major commercial sources that it's to defend the rights and freedoms of others to have their content protected. It's way more complicated than that. This kind of thinking will sacrifice EVERYONE's right to free and equal internet access, while only defending a few corporation's investements...If we want our content protected, we will keep it off the web, in a jar buried in the desert.
FRIEND:Thanks man, happy to see someone besides me and reddit think this is a dark cloud on the horizon.
ME:Yeah, most folks just witness the perspective provided by the commercial news sources that train them to buy and fear. Lord knows we're not just gona up and think "Well, what would I want? Is it as black and white as [program anchor] says?"
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Worth thinking about.....this affects all of us. What's your opinion? Does your senator know?
-TC
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 07:09PM 