Possible Irish SOPA Law? :/

gavmcg92

TANGO DOWN! seansherlock.ie

hatrickpatrick

I fully support this, however I must ask why Anon would choose an hour when the majority of Irish people were probably asleep to do this?
Luckily the media picked it up, but would it not have been better to do it in the early morning, or were they deliberately planning it so as to inconvenience as few people as possible? (Fair play to them if so)

KyussBishop

Guy on RTE news just now describing things, did a decent job for the most part, but when it came to describing why these websites are being attacked, put an emphasis on it which can be misconstrued as "these people want to be able to download copyrighted material freely", rather than "these people don't want the internet to be censored".

My paraphrasing there of what he said there is deliberately (and ungenerously) inaccurate, to emphasize the way his words may be interpreted; I don't have the exact wording.

He started off talking about it, from the point of view of Anonymous wanting uncompromising free-flow of information on the internet etc., which is fair enough in describing anonymous and all, it just ended up in a way which can be interpreted like above.

At least it was in the news now though, and RTE went some way to trying to explain the bigger issues.

General Zod

Think of a DoS attack as the cyber-equivalent of a sit-in or occupation. There's an equivalent legimacy.

MrVestek

I had previously pointed this out to Sean Sherlock on his Facebook page (which he now seems to be ignoring after replying to one of my initial queries about the new statutory instrument..). I'll quote from teh comment I left on his page... also apologies for the dimensions on this pic but it's necessary to see what I'm talking about.


"Just wondering Mr Sherlock if you have obtained Microsoft's permission to use the Wordpad logo on your website?

If not then you do realise that you'd be liable to have your website shut down under this new statutory instrument, right?"

Peanut

Achilles wrote: »

"Just wondering Mr Sherlock if you have obtained Microsoft's permission to use the Wordpad logo on your website?

If not then you do realise that you'd be liable to have your website shut down under this new statutory instrument, right?"

Great idea!

Most of the time these people don't really understand the implications of what they're putting forward. Showing them examples of how they might breach their own proposals can be quite effective - especially since we don't even have decent "fair use" laws at the moment in Europe.

NeVeR

According to the hive and irc this is the main #anonymous TARGET http://www.seansherlock.ie/ #OpMegaupload #irishSOPA #OpIreland

Down Down lol

Downlinz

Wish the old media outlets would hurry up and die and quit making a scene.

Jesus Shaves

Achilles wrote: »

I had previously pointed this out to Sean Sherlock on his Facebook page (which he now seems to be ignoring after replying to one of my initial queries about the new statutory instrument..). I'll quote from teh comment I left on his page... also apologies for the dimensions on this pic but it's necessary to see what I'm talking about.


"Just wondering Mr Sherlock if you have obtained Microsoft's permission to use the Wordpad logo on your website?

If not then you do realise that you'd be liable to have your website shut down under this new statutory instrument, right?"

Just tweeted that to AnonOpsSweden who retweeted it, Should be making headlines soon

Korvanica

Got this from Tom Barry TD

WolfForager

Korvanica wrote: »

Got this from Tom Barry TD

You need to make it publicaly viewable.

MrVestek

darokane wrote: »

Just tweeted that to AnonOpsSweden who retweeted it, Should be making headlines soon

Uh ooh, lol.

baltimore sun

kris71 wrote: »

]Got this from Tom Barry TD[/URL]

link aint working, here's the same Press Release I just got from Deputy Barry

http://www.scribd.com/doc/79340106/Deputy-Tom-Brady

Am I allowed post it here? If so here it is, if not take it down Mods.

DEPUTY Tom Barry has urged serious caution in relation to proposals to introduce aStatutory Instrument to allow the courts to block access to websites suspected of infringingcopyright.“While I have not seen the specific text of this proposed order yet; I would like to put onrecord my considerable concerns at any threat to restrict personal freedom in relation tofreedom of expression or access to information on the Internet. In addition, I also think the proposal raises serious concerns about protection for Internet users.“In the case that has led to this proposal, Mr. Justice Charleton said that existing legislationconstrained the judiciary from granting injunctions to prevent infringement of copyrightagainst Information Service Providers. However, I feel we should be reluctant to pre-empt criminal activity. We already have sufficient law to allow prosecution for copyrightinfringement if and when it does occur. I am fearful of the consequences of introducing preventative legislation that may impact on personal freedoms.“If we are to tackle the suggested flaws in the existing Copyright and Related Rights Act2000 we must examine in detail the potential implications of handing control of themonitoring of Information Service Providers over to the judiciary. There are some extremelylarge corporations who would welcome this legislation or something like it; but there areeven more organisations - upon whom we depend for a great deal of employment and potential future growth - who are vehemently opposed.“We must consider the stringent opposition to this kind of restrictive and legislative Internetcontrol from companies like Google, Facebook, Yahoo, EBay, Linkedin, AOL and Twitter – amongst others – who represent so much promise for Irish employment and innovation intothe future. The very nature of the Internet means that inadvertent copyright breaches arealmost inevitable – but we already have legislation to deal with these breaches after theyhappen. Allowing for the blocking of any website where infringements occur seems like anextreme and counter-productive response.“Another serious consideration relates to the recent decision by the European Court of Justice ruling that Internet access is a human right and that EU law precludes injunctions being taken against ISPs. The position of the European Court of Justice is very clear – thematter can be taken to the courts after the holders of intellectual-property rights havehad their rights infringed. But the Court categorically underlined the prohibition of themonitoring of information transmitted on ISP networks.“The key word in Mr. Justice Charleton’s judgement is ‘prevent’. I do not, at this stage, believe that it is possible to ‘prevent’ the offending activity without putting personalfreedoms and human rights, as clarified now at EU level, in danger. I await the final wordingof the proposed Statutory Instrument but the Internet Industry must be protected. I believeit is vital to our future and that the core principle of the Internet - the principle of freedomof access to information - must be protected.”ENDS

Peanut

darokane wrote: »

Just tweeted that to AnonOpsSweden who retweeted it, Should be making headlines soon

There are multiple copyright violations on Sean Sherlock's site.

Slunk

Would it be possible to get an announcement on the main page of boards like the electric ireland competition to make more people aware of this? Or the paragraph at the top about the links been checked. The more people who see this the better

Jesus Shaves

Peanut wrote: »

There are multiple copyright violations on Sean Sherlock's site.

Pity his mug on every page isn't one of them

MrVestek

Peanut wrote: »

There are multiple copyright violations on Sean Sherlock's site.

I actually specifically looked for some late Monday afternoon, Wordpad was just the most glaring one that I could find. Thought that most people would recognise it to illustrate a point.

I've been posting that picture to his Facebook page for the past few days but so far as with everything political it has been ignored.

Peanut

Achilles wrote: »

I actually specifically looked for some late Monday afternoon, Wordpad was just the most glaring one that I could find. Thought that most people would recognise it to illustrate a point.

I've been posting that picture to his Facebook page for the past few days but so far as with everything political it has been ignored.

I've found at least 2 more, will post them soon.

MrVestek

Peanut wrote: »

I've found at least 2 more, will post them soon.

Excellent, keep it coming!

KyussBishop

Made a Slashdot submission which has gone 'red' (i.e. really popular) within minutes (EDIT: or not, back to 'blue' i.e. neutral); title got chopped, but hopefully this should make it to main Slashdot page:
http://slashdot.org/submission/1920839/anonymous-ddos-irish-government-websites-protesti

Tried to keep it reasonably neutral, should help raise a bit more awareness anyway.

KyussBishop

Sherlock open to Dáil debate on plans for online piracy law

THE JUNIOR MINISTER preparing a controversial new Statutory Instrument dealing with online copyright protection has said he is open to holding a Dáil debate on the issue.

The junior minister responsible for innovation, Seán Sherlock, told Newstalk’s Lunchtime Show that he hoped to have time allocated in the Dáil to discuss his planned legislation, which can be enacted without the approval of the Dáil or Seanad.

“It will be debated, hopefully at some stage in the next 24 hours,” Sherlock said.

The furore over the legislation – which has prompted an online petition which has been signed by almost 33,000 people since it was launched on Monday evening – was raised in the Dáil this morning by independent TD Stephen Donnelly.

Government chief whip Paul Kehoe said that he was prepared to facilitate a debate on the matter, but that today’s Dáil schedule had already been arranged.

Sherlock also said he would speak to TJ McIntyre of Digital Rights Ireland – who has helped to organise the ‘Stop SOPA Ireland’ petition – and any other interested parties who had an interest in the legislation.

Sherlock insisted that it was not his intention to block access to certain websites, acknowledging that blocked websites could simply re-emerge at a different web address.


‘Limit people’s freedoms’:

He said the government did not wish to “legislate in a way that is overtly prescriptive”, insisting it did “not want to limit people’s freedoms.”

“Why would we limit the freedoms of the internet? It would be absolutely folly and crazy to do that… It’s a balancing act. You balance the right of the copyright holder with the right of the person to use the internet.”

The minister said the purpose of the legislation was to keep “on side of” the EU’s directives on copyright and e-commerce, which had already guaranteed the rights of individual users to use the internet and of Internet Service Providers to conduct a business.

If a judge comes along and if somebody seeks to have an injunction, the judge has to bear in mind that there’s already a judgement there … which clearly states that you cannot put a blocking mechanism or start monitoring an individual’s behaviour.

He was referring to the ruling of the European Court of Justice in the Scarlet case, where the court found it was illegal for countries to force internet providers to block filesharing on a blanket basis at their own expense.

In that case, a Belgian internet provider successfully claimed that an injunction laid down by a Belgian court – which forced it to install expensive filters and monitor all traffic through its network – was an unfair infringement of its freedom to conduct its business.

http://www.thejournal.ie/sherlock-open-to-dail-debate-on-plans-for-online-piracy-law-337005-Jan2012/?utm_source=shortlink

MajesticDonkey

link aint working, here's the same Press Release I just got from Deputy Barry

http://www.scribd.com/doc/79340106/Deputy-Tom-Brady

I got the same email...


As regards his site, I already commented on that pic on Facebook - pointing out that his site doesn't have a privacy policy, which is breaking Irish Data Protection law.

SolarNexus

Decryptor wrote: »

I got the same email...


As regards his site, I already commented on that pic on Facebook - pointing out that his site doesn't have a privacy policy, which is breaking Irish Data Protection law.

Data protection laws are a joke IMHO. They offer very little dis-incentive. At worst, you get a warning, then another, and maybe down the road if you're particularly bold they'll loft a fine at you. not a big one, but something akin to a smack on the wrist.

Peanut

http://i.imgur.com/uHcVs.png


Icon match: Microsoft Windows Vista icons
Page: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/windowsvista/icons.mspx
License: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/windowsvista/iconguidelines.mspx
"GUIDELINES AND RESTRICTIONS FOR USING THE LOGOS

The logos may only be used in close proximity to, or in obvious connection with, a published article or broadcast news story about Microsoft Corporation or a specific Microsoft product or service."

Icon match: iVista icon pack
Page: http://gakuseisean.deviantart.com/art/iVista-PNGs-33322615
License: "These icons are copyright © and are intended only for personal desktop use. You may not redistribute or modify these icons and release them without my written permission."

Icon match: Very close match to an in-game icon
Page: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9DC9kDEgygmHVWR5DDamzA
License: "Photo reuse: (c) All rights reserved"

Icon match: Microsoft Wordpad icon
Page: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:WP-logo.png
Licence: Copyright, registered trademark. Fair usage in US and France for teaching and journalistic purposes - not for personal websites.

MrVestek

SolarNexus wrote: »

Data protection laws are a joke IMHO. They offer very little dis-incentive. At worst, you get a warning, then another, and maybe down the road if you're particularly bold they'll loft a fine at you. not a big one, but something akin to a smack on the wrist.

I think the point is that a TD isn't bothering to follow the law himself...

MajesticDonkey

I know it's nothing major, but it's still breaking the law.

http://dataprotection.ie/viewdoc.asp?m=m&fn=/documents/guidance/PrivStatements.htm

A contravention of the provisions of the Acts can result in investigation and enforcement action by the Data Protection Commissioner. If the Commissioner issues an enforcement notice requesting that you either place a Privacy Statement on your site, or cease processing data, failure to comply could result in prosecution with a possible penalty of up to €100,000 and/or deletion of any/all data collected via the website.

Additionally, section 7 of the Acts gives a person a right to take Civil Action against you if that person has been damaged by the manner in which you have processed his/her data.

MajesticDonkey

Icon match: Very close match to an in-game icon
Page: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...ygmHVWR5DDamzA
License: "Photo reuse: (c) All rights reserved"

That looks more like the MS Help icon...

MrVestek

Decryptor wrote: »

That looks more like the MS Help icon...

Not sure what you mean by that, the one I posted up? That Picasa link is dead btw.

bealtine

Finally the content industry sees some sense...
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120124/17134417531/emi-vp-comes-out-against-sopapipa-says-answer-to-piracy-is-providing-better-service.shtml

EMI VP Comes Out Against SOPA/PIPA, Says The Answer To Piracy Is Providing A Better Service.

If they provided what people actually want instead of trying to roll back the clock to vinyl/CDs

MajesticDonkey

Achilles wrote: »

Not sure what you mean by that, the one I posted up? That Picasa link is dead btw.

http://i.imgur.com/uHcVs.png

Number 3 - looks like the Windows help icon that you see when pressing F1 in most applications.