Statue of Diogenes in Sinop
The news on the topic of last week’s pending SOPA/PIPA legislation had been divided. Many mainstream networks, including Fox and CBS, have covered this controversy with a surprisingly fair and balanced view in spite of corporate interests above those particular news organizations which supported the bill. That Fox would provide a neutral report seems surprising, in light of Rupert Murdoch himself “ranting” on Twitter in favor of SOPA and against its opposition, so much so that Google responded. CBS has a large stake in film, music, and intellectual property, and it too has seemingly refrained from editorial censorship. Perhaps they recognize that internet sites like Reddit will call out blatant bias in news sources, and call attention to the corporate interests behind the news, further eroding the mainstream media’s credibility. The fact that this story received unbiased treatment (after it finally received any treatment) speaks to how much these companies want to see these laws passed. To be undermined as legitimate news sources would also undermine the bills and their chances of passing. In other words, this was about attracting less attention to the issue, not more.
But in the end, it looks like the issue got plenty of attention and an online protest was responsible for stymying these legislative efforts (for now). The combined power of many internet citizens, coupled with a few motivated tech company heads, have made our voices heard over the powerful influence of industry lobbying efforts. Chris Dodd, former US senator, has spearheaded this effort on behalf of the entertainment industry as head of the Motion Picture Association of America. He went as far as an overt threat to cut off Hollywood’s traditional support of Democrats after Obama released his position on the issue. The White House has sided with the anti-censorship tech companies and online protesters, but maintains the need for some protection for US content providers against piracy.
These bills, SOPA and PIPA, were conceived and backed by wealthy entertainment industry interests. They will not be so easily dissuaded. There are billions at stake, and the internet threatens the middle man. Studios, record companies, and media distribution are the middle men, and the web can do for free what they make billions doing now. Because of this, we haven’t seen the end of legislative efforts aimed at limiting online freedoms, but let’s hope the future drafts of these bills will give more consideration to free speech. Many among the community of online protestors have voiced concern that the battle against liberties and internet freedom will resume after the protest noise has died down. But those same forces that perceived the threat initially will do so again, just as they did here with SOPA and PIPA. The internet, by virtue of sheer numbers, remains vigilant. Fear not, nerds don’t sleep.
But this isn’t just about defending free speech, or keeping the internet open and free from censorship. This event teaches all of us about the real power of people. It’s easy to get discouraged about making a difference, about trying to change real fundamental problems within our system. At times it can seem like David and Goliath, insurmountable odds against the little guy. We are taught that we live in the world’s most wonderful society, that democracy and liberty remain a beacon of light for those who live under oppression. Yet this picture sometimes won’t reconcile with what we see: our own oppression, our loss of civil liberties, militant police action, domestic spying, and the equation of protest as domestic terrorism. But now we know that our system can work. The next time we (the people) perceive a special interest threat we know what works. Raising awareness across a group of like minded people can work against powerful forces, forces backed by political power and vast resources. I am not saying that the system doesn’t need fixing. It does, and badly. But now we know that by employing the resources of our internet community we can affect change. So let’s keep the momentum going and start at changing the way Washington (and NY, Boston, LA, etc.) works at a fundamental level, or let’s make a stab at changing how much our civil liberties have eroded. The tactic that works is unison, an online “mike check” that resonates throughout the halls of power, reminding the politicians that they are there at our behest, and not at the beck and call of corporate interests.
Keeping the internet free may be the most important liberty of all, for with it we can unite across traditional barriers that separate us. Here, on the interwebs, there are no riot police, no plastic handcuffs. But they are watching, they just can’t shut us up.
Yet.
