How can this impact educators? Think of all the nice new Web 2.0 tools you've come to know and love. Now think of the time you have spent (or will spend) convincing admins to allow use of it and then the time training teachers and students to sign up and use it. Then...BAM! Tuesday morning just as your class is ready to go to work, the service has been shut down. "Wait. Wait. I don't understand? I was working on it last night getting everything all set up and now it doesn't work???"
I know the issues involved in SOPA/PIPA are complicated and believe that, yes, there needs to be some kind of legislation in place for people who are misusing privileges and content on the Internet. I don't believe the latest versions SOPA/PIPA are the answers.
Tuesday Update: To be fair, here is an article I found that provides some insight from Godaddy.
Other interesting artifacts in the aftermath:
- An article on effects to US Internet business.
- Sys Admin's todo list re: moving internet business out of USA.
I sent Fox 6 News Milwaukee an investigative tip about this and perhaps they may do a story on it. We'll see. I'm not counting on it but it may be good for them because as far as I know this story has not hit the mainstream yet. Here's what I sent them.
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To editorial/investigative teams at Fox 6,
SOPA/PIPA Internet piracy and related issues Acts did not pass congress recently. However, the issue is still very active. Last week on Feb 15, the Secret Service shut down a legitimate online survey site, Jotform.com, without warning or judicial warrant to its owners or users. Reasons for the shutdown were not given and the company is still in the dark about why it was done. The Secret Service has not provided them with any information so far. Business for Jotform as well as thousands of their legitimate clients was disrupted by an act of the Secret Service that did not follow Due Process. This disruption may cause loss of business for Jotform as well as loss of business that rely on Jotform's services.
This single act is prompting many people and businesses who do business in the USA using USA domain names to consider moving business to other countries, moving revenue and jobs to other countries. This act by the Secret Service is not good for USA business.
I encourage you to investigate this story. It has not showed up in any major media so far that I know of. It is of an issue that is increasingly important for the American people and business. The issue has many sides and is a complicated one. Basically, if a business on the Internet allows some form of misuse of its services, SOPA/PIPA would be able to shut down the entire website based on the misuse of just one person, including the use of it for the thousands/millions of legitimate users. Even though SOPA/PIPA did not pass, this is what the Secret Service has just done with Jotform.
Sources:
Official Jotform response: http://www.jotform.net/blog/45-JotForm-com-Suspended
An article about it: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/02/secret-service-asks-for-shutdown-of-legit-website-over-user-content-godaddy-complies.ars?
There are several more articles about it but none mainstream TV or Newspaper.
Google Search, Google+ or Twitter search for "Jotform" and you will get an idea of the reaction this act by the Secret Service has caused.
Also research SOPA and PIPA to understand the issue more.
Your kind attention to this matter and a report would help your viewers become more informed about some important issues with the Internet and doing business in the USA.
Thank you,
Curtis Siegmann
Curtis, I think I've only seen one main stream report related to SOPA. I hope TV6 will look into it. I think the Journal/Sentinel investigative reporting team (Bice, Rudletge, etc) is excellent. They have at least two Pulitzer's to their credit. Why don't you try Rachel Rutledge at rrutledge@jsonline.com
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