Title: SOPA lives - and MPAA calls protests an "abuse of power" Date: January 17, 2012 Timestamp: 1326797200 Link: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/sopa-livesand-mpaa-calls-protests-an-abuse-of-power.ars Comments: off ---- > rather than coming to the table to find solutions to a problem that all now seem to agree is very real and damaging. No. All most certainly do *not* agree. > It is also an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today. It's a dangerous and troubling development when the platforms that serve as gateways to information intentionally skew the facts to incite their users in order to further their corporate interests. This must be a joke. It's a joke, right? Please tell me this joker is joking. The hypocrisy is too much. > stop the hyperbole and PR stunts and engage in meaningful efforts to combat piracy. There is absolutely nothing reasonable that anyone can do to "combat piracy". Digital copies are cheap. Adapt or die. The VCR did not kill media industries. Nor the cassette, CD, DVD. Why should anyone believe that computers and the Internet are going to kill music and movies? If the MPAA displayed even a shred of sanity maybe they would be taken seriously in their efforts to curb piracy. The biggest problem I can see is that studies have given us evidence that they are not hurt by it at all. Their tactic of choice seems to be to loudly decry "Nuh-uh! Piracy *does* hurt us!" and then strong arming everyone worldwide while suing anyone and everyone. If times are so tough maybe they should cut some of their budgets for lawyers and lobbyists.