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Web censorship bill sails through Senate committee
Daily Caller ^ | 11/19/2010 | Sam Gustin

Posted on 11/19/2010 5:41:04 AM PST by markomalley

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that would give the Attorney General the right to shut down websites with a court order if copyright infringement is deemed “central to the activity” of the site — regardless if the website has actually committed a crime. The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) is among the most draconian laws ever considered to combat digital piracy, and contains what some have called the “nuclear option,” which would essentially allow the Attorney General to turn suspected websites “off.”

COICA is the latest effort by Hollywood, the recording industry and the big media companies to stem the tidal wave of internet file sharing that has upended those industries and, they claim, cost them tens of billions of dollars over the last decade.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government
KEYWORDS: 1shot1kill; abuseofpower; baraq0ut; bigmedia; censorship; coica; competition; copyright; democrats; electricityrates; electricskyrocket; fail; fairuse; internet; judicialtyranny; liberalfascism; monopoly; mpaa; obamunism; ofacapandtradesystem; piracy; publicdomain; riaa; skyrocket; spain4only75000day; unconstitutional; undermyplan; wagya4just100pound; wouldnecessarily
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You can read the bill here. The interesting part about this bill is that it modifies Title 18 of the US Code (crimes) and not Title 17 (copyrights). In addition, it authorizes the AG to do the virtual equivalent of confiscation of property without any judicial review beforehand. The only judicial review is a civil matter if the person whose website was taken down decides to file a civil action in court thereafter.

My concerns are not trying to defend those who are stealing others' intellectual property but that this sets up a really, really, really bad precedent that could be applied in other areas of government censorship. Say, for example, if they want to shut down Free Republic. They would shut down the site and then force JimRob to hire a lawyer and go after them in order to get that order lifted.

Not the way things are supposed to work in this country, last time I checked.

1 posted on 11/19/2010 5:41:08 AM PST by markomalley
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To: markomalley

This is such a bad, stinking idea it isn’t funny. “Let’s give the government more power...” Police state, anyone????


2 posted on 11/19/2010 5:43:44 AM PST by Jerrybob
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To: Jim Robinson

ping


3 posted on 11/19/2010 5:43:54 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: markomalley

No one would be surprised if under the Obama-DNC-Fascists
that melanin content was discussed in the law, or that
genital and rectal probes would be allowed for the government.


4 posted on 11/19/2010 5:44:36 AM PST by Diogenesis ('Freedom is the light of all sentient beings.' - Optimus Prime)
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To: markomalley

More Government censorship...oh boy! I just cant wait for the entire internet to get back to every website 24 hour O’bama coverage. No more need for real news. O’bama can tell us everything we need to know...


5 posted on 11/19/2010 5:45:08 AM PST by 2dollarbill
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To: markomalley

Big Media has made “copyright protection” as task for Homeland Security (and no I am not using hyperbole).

The Red Diaper Doper Babies are killing this nation.


6 posted on 11/19/2010 5:45:42 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The establishment clause isn't just against my OWN government establishing state religion in America)
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To: markomalley; rdb3; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; GodGunsandGuts; CyberCowboy777; Salo; Bobsat; JosephW; ...

7 posted on 11/19/2010 5:45:57 AM PST by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: markomalley

hmmmm......end of FR!?!?!?

If somebody posts 3 or more words protected by copywrite, we’re toast!


8 posted on 11/19/2010 5:46:40 AM PST by G Larry (When you're "RIGHT" you don't look for ways to compromise!)
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To: markomalley

These clowns just don’t learn.


9 posted on 11/19/2010 5:46:55 AM PST by Arm_Bears (I'll have what the gentleman on the floor is drinking.)
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To: Jerrybob

Not just “the government” - the ERIC (the Red) Holder Government, overseers of the Department of Selective Justice

Hey lefties, would this have “sailed through” if John Ashcroft or SARAH PALIN was the AG?

C’mon 2012.


10 posted on 11/19/2010 5:46:59 AM PST by silverleaf (All that is necessary for evil to succeed, is that good men do nothing)
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To: markomalley

bad news


11 posted on 11/19/2010 5:49:01 AM PST by sauropod (The truth shall make you free but first it will make you miserable.)
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To: markomalley
The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) is among the most draconian laws ever considered to combat digital piracy, and contains what some have called the “nuclear option,” which would essentially allow the Attorney General to turn suspected websites “off.”

Our p*ssy of a president is ABSOLUTELY unwilling to use nuclear weapons and seeks to end our nuclear capacity. Yet he is perfectly damned willing to establish a "nuclear option" against his own citizens.

12 posted on 11/19/2010 5:49:48 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The establishment clause isn't just against my OWN government establishing state religion in America)
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To: Arm_Bears
They're not clowns, they're maniacally on track to take America down.

I fear we will meet in the streets.

13 posted on 11/19/2010 5:50:27 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
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To: markomalley

China


14 posted on 11/19/2010 5:52:27 AM PST by Texas resident (Hunkered Down)
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To: silverleaf
the ERIC (the Red) Holder Government

Holder is just like Reno.....don't sneeze unless he gets the OK from Dumbo

15 posted on 11/19/2010 5:54:32 AM PST by Doogle ((USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: markomalley

If anything we should build a virtual
“Great Wall of America” to keep the Chinese out of OUR internet.

It IS our greatest weakness right, it affects almost every aspect of our lives, the Chinese can hack anything, from disabling your car to virtual phone message spoofing.

I can visualize a massive attack from them enabling any cellphone to go berserk, calling porn sites, of which then a bill like this would effectively then shut down all cellphone service in America.


16 posted on 11/19/2010 5:54:32 AM PST by Eye of Unk (If your enemy is quick to anger, seek to irritate him. Sun Tzu, The Art of War.)
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To: markomalley

(COICA) = BOHICA........................


17 posted on 11/19/2010 5:55:01 AM PST by Red Badger (The House finally fell on Nancy Pelosi..........)
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To: Red Badger

Looks like the dems aren’t ‘retreating’....they are ‘reloading’.


18 posted on 11/19/2010 5:58:14 AM PST by Blue Turtle
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To: markomalley

The obvious work around is off shore hosting.

Wonder if they plan to block traffic from “offending” sites as well? That is the real question.

I’ve heard Limewire was shutdown.


19 posted on 11/19/2010 5:58:35 AM PST by IamConservative (Our collective common sense; the only thing a 1.5GPF toilet ever flushed on the first pull.)
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To: Arm_Bears

Many people thought the election would slow the leftists down. It has only convinced them they must try harder.


20 posted on 11/19/2010 6:03:48 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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