S.O.P.A: A really BAAAD Idea

Today, Jan 18th 2011, you will most likely notice many, many web sites which have 'gone dark' to show solidarity AGAINST the ill concieved proposed legislation that is called S.O.P.A. being considered in the US legislature! By 'dark' I mean that they are doing something to highlight to people just how much COULD be at jeapordy if junk legislation like this foisted on the American People.

More than a few sites have altered their color schemes from usual into a very dark white lettering on black background. The leading creator of web-publishing platforms - WordPress, debated on whether to completely shut down their site for everyone (except for a black front screen relating what was at risk); but, then decided it was unfair to drag everyone into the inconvenience. So, today, when you visited their company's site you did get the black front screen but when you scrolled to the bottom there was a link that you could pass through.

Even the GIANT GOOGLE - altered their Google logo into one completely covered by a black rectangle with just the tiniest of barely perceptible corners of letters showing around the edges such that you could (almost) tell what USED TO BE THERE!

Have you ever stopped to think just how much Google has integrated itself into our lives? How much of your daily life do you now rely on some program that Google owns, or information that Google provides access to? It's mind boggling!

At Offroading Home I have no way to support the effort against this dangerous attack to our freedoms than to tell you about it and show you a TED talk about what Internet Security REALLY means - not just the "scare" tactics used by its proponents (BIG ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY). Make no mistake - this bill is SOLELY ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MAKE MORE MONEY! Not your and my security.

In this talk Cybercrime expert Mikko Hypponen shows example of three types of online attack on our privacy and data -- and only two are considered crimes! After he describes what cyber-terrorists are doing right now he describes what even Western goverments like Egypt, Germany and… dare I say, the US, are doing to their own citizenry.

Mr. Hypponen's words strike home to me… and they should to you.

"When we think deeper about things like these the obvious response from people should be: "Well, OK, well that sounds bad; but that doesn't really effect me because I'm a legal citizen. Why should I worry? I have nothing to hide." And this is an argument which doesn't make sense.

Privacy is implied. Privacy is not up for discussion. It is not a question about privacy against security. It's a question about freedom against control.

And while we might trust our governments right now, right here in 2011, ANY right we give away will be given away FOR GOOD! Do we trust... do we blindly trust any FUTURE government we might have 50 years from now?