Yesterday was really bizarre when I went to Google and saw the black box over its name. The internet was in blackout mode to call attention to a huge, world-wide issue of intellectual rights.
Today a couple of related stories hit the web as this issue becomes more heated: How does any “body” stop online piracy, and who will be responsible for the ACT’s enforcement?
From the Voice123 Blog, Steven Lowell takes some time to explain:
Why voiceover talent should be watching SOPA and PIPA
And the Hollywood unions, such as AFTRA/SAG which also include many voiceover people in its rank and file were blasting Google over PIPA.
LA Times article
How does and will this affect us as artists?
Well, SL is not the best resource, perhaps, for not taking our money. These bills are something that our unions have been working on for some time. Will we all have to change our demos? No. Will we no longer be able to use PayPal? No. What a mess of BS. Yea! The horse is out of the barn. But does that mean we don’t try? Took a 15 year old kid under 30 seconds to find a copy of the new “Mission Impossible” movie – and just download it. No residuals for any actors. Music?? Please! They are getting robbed. Maybe it’s not perfect – but it’s a start.
Vanessa, I agree this is a huge problem that is out of control. I’m all for protection of intellectual property These legislative acts are not really approaching the issue very well. And trying to saddle Silicon Valley with a www sheriff badge is a joke. I happened upon a Chinese site that had “Bobbin Beam” ring tones available for download! How weird and scary is that? And what kind of resources are required to hunt down the perps and prosecute from a foreign country that has no or dissimilar laws?