“O’er the land of the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Well, mostly free.
There are a few new bills that everyone is talking about, SOPA and and PIPA (A.K.A. PROTECT-IP). These two bills have some interesting concepts that, summarized, mean “protecting” US corporate interests by removing US citizens’ access to a free and open Internet.
Now, I’ve read these bills and they have nice tag lines like: “To Promote prosperity, creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation by combating the theft of U.S. Property, and for other purposes.” or “To prevent online threats to economic creativity and theft of intellectual property, and for other purposes.” These things sound great! But, never judge a bill by its cover.
These bills are simply rehashes of an existing law, the DMCA, but with a far more sinister side. The big difference is that these bills state the action to be taken enforces a definitive closure of an entire domain when a claim of infringement takes place. What does this mean? Let’s take youtube.com as an example: If someone can make the argument that youtube.com is hosting too many infringing videos, then ALL of youtube.com could be taken offline with the way this law is written. For smaller sites, you’re just an easier target for the people in charge of deciding if a site is a “threat to US property” or not.
Freeze! Did you catch that? “People in charge.” Yes, SOPA details how the US government will need to create a “Intellectual Property Enforcement” agency that finds sites are a “threat to US property” and sends out the notice requiring a removal of the domain as a whole. What designates a threat goes far beyond just copyright, it includes sites which pose a risk to national security “and other purposes” (as is stated in the bills’ earlier description). Yes, that’s right, a segment of the US government will be dedicated to censorship of the Internet.
Our perspective as a hosting provider that handles a good number of DMCA notifications is that this law, as it exists today, (while it has it’s flaws) works perfectly fine. The DMCA only requires the infringing works to be removed, and for repeat or egregious offenders we’re always permitted to tell these customers to “GTFO”.
Recently, DHS-ICE has also done a fantastic job in shutting down counterfeit goods rings and actually puts the people behind the scheme in jail, not just taking down a domain name. So why is there a need for a new law?
Going further on how this really hits home for DreamHost though, is the requirements expected of hosting providers and registrars (of which we are both) to manage the sort of Internet blacklist this law will create. Failure to comply with this would result in web hosts like DreamHost being treated as if we are assisting in a crime, even if our only involvement was acting unknowingly by registering a domain name for a customer. Keep in mind, we wouldn’t even get a say in the matter if we receive a notice to remove a domain. We would be required by law to remove the entire domain immediately and notify you, the customer, after the domain has been taken offline. This could include disabling things like email, jabber, or other supportive services because the law states that domain services must be removed, not just the site, and not just the alleged infringing works!
Everyone should be aware of these bills before they come to law, as they will dramatically change how the Internet operates within the US. There is a strong movement online to promote awareness of these bills and many sites are offering help on what you can do to address it. So please check out some of these sites, write your representative, or just let your friends know more before this becomes law and before you find that the Internet as you knew it is no longer free.
To find more about these bills yourself, and what actions you can take, please check the following sites:
http://americancensorship.org/
http://savehosting.org/
https://www.eff.org/
Because you asked for it…
November 22nd, 2011 at 8:29 am
If you’re not American, but have registered a nominally “American” TLD like .org, .com, .info, this affects you as well, or use an American host like Dreamhost, this affects you as well. The EU have already drafted a resolution condemning seizure of assets of international companies by US law enforcement. If you’re not an EU citizen, write your local representative and encourage them to draft one as well.
November 22nd, 2011 at 9:11 am
In the shadow of SOPA/PIPA the EU has been a great ally of the free Internet. Even recently introducing a motion for resolution with the EU parliament that states the importance of freedom and integrity over communication and the global Internet.
November 22nd, 2011 at 11:18 am
Can’t help but wonder how many people at Dreamhost voted for Obama. Not to rub salt into the wound, but maybe this is a good time to change your thinking and start voting Libertarian.
November 22nd, 2011 at 1:23 pm
What does Obama have to do with this? SOPA was introduced by Lamar Smith (R-TX) which in turn means that this bill was not brought up by the President, but by idiot House Representatives that are easily bought off (as expected for Texas).
November 22nd, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Also consider signing up at stopcensorship.org so that Senator Wyden can read your name when he filibusters PIPA.
November 23rd, 2011 at 12:43 am
Thanks Dreamhost for taking a stand against SOPA.
With such laws our websites could be taken offline even for having a link to a site that the entertainment industry doesn’t like, or even merely by a false accusation. It’s a guilt upon accusation law.
If this law passes, a simple step to reduce the risk would be to move your sites and domains to hosts and registrars outside of the USA.
As for the Obama discussion above, SOPA can’t become law without his signature. I am still waiting to see Obama take a public stance on this one, he could stop all this madness with one simple declaration that he won’t sign it.
December 2nd, 2011 at 1:45 am
If this law passes, as a non-American I will have to reconsider my hosting.
I will not accept any risk to my hosting based on the whimsy of a potential police state.
I’ve been with Dreamhost for over a DECADE and I would be sad to leave – but this law makes me consider it.
December 2nd, 2011 at 9:41 am
The tide seems to be turning lately against SOPA, with at least one bipartisan alternative emerging in the House and Senate. Even the Business Software Alliance is publicly airing serious reservations. The biggest defender of this noxious bill remains the US Chamber of Commerce.
December 5th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
We at Midnight Beep think SOPA is a terrible bill. Do we really have to discuss it with rape jokes and homophobia? C’mon, people, do I really have to spell it out? Dropping the soap in the shower refers to a man bending over in the shower to pick up his soap–and getting raped, anally. Get it? “Bend over…drop the soap…hah!”
1) Prison rape happens. It isn’t funny. In fact its an epidemic in the American criminal justice system, and jokes like this obscure that reality.*
2) Consensual anal sex happens between men, between a woman and a male partner, and between women. It’s beneath any of us to demean people for having consensual sex they want and like. We all have sexual drives, we all suffer from sexual shame, and it’s far beyond time we got over it.
Dreamhost, you really ought to change the title of this blog entry, posthaste. And you owe us an apology. I’m one of your queer customers, I’m one of your feminist customers, and I can’t believe a great hosting company like yours let this one get through.
@markjharris
*Here’s a current article about prison rape if you’re curious: http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2011/nov/23/immigrant-detainees-new-sex-abuse-crisis/
December 5th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
Hi Mark,
Prison rape, or any rape, is bad. We are simpatico on that one!
We didn’t realize that the very phrase “Don’t drop the soap” would strike such a chord. The title of a blog post at a web hosting company likely has little bearing on any metrics that may exist which track prison rape. I only wish we had that kind of influence.
Still, I think our intent was clear – playing up the SOPA acronym to draw attention to an ill-conceived bill. To be clear, we’re not making light of any particular act or sexual preference.
We apologize if you took offense but stand by our attention-grabbing headline.
December 19th, 2011 at 9:37 am
I’d just like to lend Mark my support, for all the reasons he’s already explained. I believe you, Brett and Robert, that you don’t want to make light of “any particular act or sexual preference.”
But you have to admit that the literal meaning of this headline is: “Don’t get anal raped, get rid of SOPA!” So you’re really failing to live up to your intentions here.
There are plenty of other good soap puns out there. Something as easy as ‘The dirt on SOPA’ would work.
December 20th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
I’ve used Dreamhost for ten years and it’s been very good to me. I recommend it to my friends all the time. If SOPA passes I will, reluctantly, be compelled to move my relatively inoffensive site to a Canadian host to protect myself. I don’t understand how a bill like this can pass that so obviously hurts successful competitive American businesses. I would be much happier to keep sending my hosting fees to California for the next ten years.
I wish you well in your fight, Dreamhost!
December 22nd, 2011 at 10:40 am
@Mark & Trevor: I interpreted it less like “don’t get anal raped by SOPA” and more like “don’t DROP (literal action) soap, drop (end discussion of, stop) SOPA”. Just wanted to put my interpretation out there so you could see another way of looking at it in a non-offensive manner.
@Dreamhost Thanks for supporting the fight against SOPA. This bill is detrimental to the freedom of the internet and should NOT be passed.
December 22nd, 2011 at 10:43 am
I’m a Canadian, and because I use US services for web hosting and email, I am stuck being under a law but not being able to do anything about it, except one thing: Pull all my hosting and email onto my home soil (as Jonathon already pointed out).
But I guess this begs the question: if I have a .com/.org/.net/.info etc. TLD hosted in Canada, am I still vulnerable to SOPA?
December 22nd, 2011 at 11:14 am
Nice to see you guys opposing this, one of your less competent competitors actually supports it ( http://www.thedomains.com/2011/11/15/here-is-godaddys-statement-in-support-of-the-stop-online-privacy-act-house-hearing-tomorrow/ ).
Dreamhost, brace for impact as domains are migrated from godaddy to you guys (you are being listed in reddit discussions and other sites as an opponent of SOPA and thus a prime candidate for people who are looking to stop using godaddy in favor of someone a little less……well….evil).
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:49 pm
I’d just like to second what Mark E. just said, “Brace for impact..”
I have 15 or so domains currently on goSOPA and will be migrating them on the 29th along with many others as was suggested on the reddit post.
I look forward to working with you. :)
December 22nd, 2011 at 2:50 pm
So glad to see that my hosting company isn’t in favor of SOPA. Thank you for being awesome, Dreamhost. I will continue to send business your way!
December 22nd, 2011 at 7:14 pm
I have my website hosted with you, but it is still registered with GoDaddy, as it was before I moved my hosting here. That is about to change. GoDaddy has done some incredibly stupid things in the recent past, but this goes well beyond that, and I guess I’ve finally had enough.
December 23rd, 2011 at 1:50 am
I had my hosting with GoDaddy and made the decision to come to you guys a couple years ago. Thank you for coming out against SOPA and for standing up to inform us and try to help protect our rights. So glad to have you as my hosting company, through thick and thin. I will continue to be a loyal customer as well as do my part to try and put a stop on this idiotic piece of legislation.
December 23rd, 2011 at 7:47 am
I’ve been holding off on switching from GoDaddy for a while, mostly out of lazyness. I also have a few friends on DH who love you guys. I think I’ll make the switch soon.
December 23rd, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Is this promo code valid for existing users? Please say so :)
December 24th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Personally this is just yet another reason I have websites hosted by dreamhost. I’ve always liked their service, but this adds to it. Thanks Dreamhost.
December 25th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
I just switched all of my domains from godaddy over. It’s glad to know you guys are on the right side :) I only wish I hadn’t discovered you earlier when I first was looking for hosting so I could take advantage of that nice deal… Oh well! I’m a happy customer, keep up the good work!
December 28th, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Dreamhost has been great I have been a customer since 2005 and have moved all of my domains to them in the last few years. Keep up the great service and support.
Thank you Dreamhost.
January 6th, 2012 at 4:43 am
Wouldn’t it be the case that Dreamhost could just move a bunch of their servers offshore? I would imagine there are a lot of suitable locations where you could base a data centre ie Australia….
January 6th, 2012 at 6:16 am
I’m disappointed by Dreamhost for posting this false information. It’s one thing to be against the bill, but the legislation makes absolutely clear this is directed at sites that a U.S. judge has found dedicated to infringing activity. Sites like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or personal websites would not be included. Moreover, the reason the legislation is needed is because while U.S. law allows the Justice department to go after domestic criminal sites, they can’t do anything right now for foreign sites.
January 6th, 2012 at 7:27 pm
Sopaipilla es good.
SOPA/PIPA es bad.
…no se SOPA/PIPAs
January 8th, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Actually, I love the title. It’s perfect.
Not to flame a flamer (LOL, yes sorry means what you think) but come on how ironic is that?
This is about censorship (and worse corporate/special interest control) after all.
It infers exactly what this bill aims to do. That is screw over the American people for now and forever.
I wrote to Congressman Lamar Smith and he replied in a question:
“What is it like to have a soul?”
The phrase “sell your own mother for a dollar” would be a compliment (at a lose for words “scumbag”, “bottom feeder”, are still low enough).
First him and his ilk are psychopaths. They are incapable of any kind of compassion or consideration for their fellow man. They just see the bribes in front of their face and that is it.
Apparently incapable of consideration of how they are screwing over America, their own children, their children’s children, and so on.
Let them choke, give me my dollars now.
A bribe is a bribe. Be it the traditional cash in a little brown envelope or not.
The promise, and, or granting of a job (or board position et al) in a sponsoring corporation/interest group is a bribe. The same position, or stocks what ever from the same form a shill company made for you, yes it’s a bribe.
The same or similar position for your wife or any other family member, is a bribe.
And kind of favor given for the cooperation/special-interest-group is a capital B.R.I.B.E – bribe!
Now given this fact of what a bribe is, be it “illegal” or not.
Look at last two definitions of treason that fit:
“2. a violation of allegiance to one’s sovereign or to one’s state.
3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.”
Now the truth is, Congressman Lamar Smith and the other sellouts that have been bought and paid for to push ACTA, SOPA, and UIGEA (nothing short of an crime what happened there), etc,. are committing egregious acts of treason!
Furthermore what the hell!?! One of the big backers of SOPA is Sony. A foreign company!
Add insult to injury. Selling out not just to your own country but a foreign one!
No offense to the present say Japan, but fact is one that was a mortal, and brutal enemy just sixty odd years ago. Piss on the grave of your own grandfather that died stationed at Pear Harbor, or fought in the pacific.
Congressman Lamar Smith and a handful of other congressman, reps, and senators are committing open, willful, intentional acts of treason against you and I, the citizens of America.
The constitution was written to hopefully protect against this stuff.
Hell, this very same congressman swore to it.
Bribes are bribes. Treason is treason.
Why do they get away with it? Because we have let them,
Kick your self, as I do. I’m trying to kick my self less by writing these things do something about it.
Join me. Take a stand. Make the president make a stand.
Enough is enough. The answer is to make these people responsible for what they do.
Every law that is obviously cooperate/special interest sponsored needs to be reviewed and probably removed going back some forty years.
When people mess up in our government they are not even fired?
What the hell is that?
Down to the smallest government job level they need be competent or be fired!
Ignore the BS about what ever political affiliation or anything else.
The root problem is the bribes and the treason of SPECIFIC individuals taking them.
It’s our jobs as a American. It’s what our constitution – our most basic legal tenant was made for.
As the op says (having the balls to tell it like it is) this SOPA thing is nothing more then a corporate manufactured internet control.
It’s wrong, it’s shameful. Kick your self in the butt, and lets get to work putting the “people” back into our government.
Enough is enough, I don’t stand for it. Neither should you!
January 9th, 2012 at 7:31 am
Thank you for being a great host and not supporting SOPA.
January 11th, 2012 at 10:24 am
This is really bad idea! The existing policies are enough to protect the interest of the copyright owners.
After hearing the new of Godaddy support over SOPA,i have just stop promoting thier service on my blog and many other sites.
Dreamhost is also in the alternative list of Godaddy and now its time to recommend this one to our readers.