Wikipedia Protest Blackout
On January 18, 2012 you will not be able to read anything from the English version of Wikipedia.
Building on Jack’s post yesterday, there is indeed a BIG fuss about SOPA. As Jack mentioned, Reddit and Boing Boing are also going dark in protest.
Wikipedia explains their blackout here, but I found this expert particularly interesting:
My hope is that when Wikipedia shuts down on January 18, people will understand that we’re doing it for our readers. We support everyone’s right to freedom of thought and freedom of expression. We think everyone should have access to educational material on a wide range of subjects, even if they can’t pay for it. We believe in a free and open Internet where information can be shared without impediment. We believe that new proposed laws like SOPA and PIPA, and other similar laws under discussion inside and outside the United States — don’t advance the interests of the general public.
There is a lengthy list of those who oppose PIPA and SOPA at the Protect Innovation website as well as advocacy and background materials.
Do you know of other sites going dark in protest on January 18?
My publisher, O’Reilly, is going dark to protest against
what looks suspiciously like “guilty until proven innocent”…
http://radar.oreilly.com/2012/01/oreilly-dark-protest-sopa-pipa.html
–dave
And I just read that Michael Geist in Ottawa is going dark
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/6244/125/
–dave
theoatmeal.com is also dark today
I mention that because (instead of the usual content) they’ve put up a cartoon explaining SOPA/PIPA in the simplest terms possible. Well worth a visit.