internet freedom

Death to SOPA

Submitted by on

stop sopaThe White House just responded on the controversial Internet censorship bill SOPA and frankly, it doesn't look good for opponents.

The Administration calls on all sides to work together to pass sound legislation this year that provides prosecutors and rights holders new legal tools to combat online piracy originating beyond U.S. borders while staying true to the principles outlined above in this response.

Others are interpreting the White House blog post differently of course and let's hope they are right. In our experience, the minute this administration mentions keyword bi-partisan, we know we're about to be screwed frankly. Just look at the National Defense Authorization Act. That said, the fight against SOPA is heating up.

Pirate Party Scores Big Win in Berlin Elections

Submitted by on

The Pirate Party surprised pollsters as well as the general public by procuring 15 seats in the Berlin parliament, following yesterday’s election. To win any seats, a political party has to obtain at least 5% of the vote in the election; the Pirate Party surpassed this total easily, reaching nearly 9% of the vote. To put this in perspective, Angela Merkel’s coalition partners, the Free Democrats, received only 2% of the vote and will not be allowed representation in the Berlin parliament. Despite its name, the Pirate Party is not simply a protest group. It is a serious political movement focused on individual rights to communication, particularly when it comes to the internet. The party does not identify itself as right or left, liberal or conservative. It is, however, anti-corporatist, and is especially opposed to corporations that seek monopolies in public communication.