# WiKiPedia to shut down for 24 hrs to protest SOPA



## dashing.sujay (Jan 17, 2012)

*timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/internet/wikipedia-to-shut-down-for-24-hours/wiki-jpg/thumb/11517771/wiki-jpg.jpg





> Wikipedia, the popular community-edited online encyclopedia, will black out its English-language site for 24 hours to seek support against proposed U.S. anti-piracy legislation that Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said threatens the future of the Internet.
> 
> The U.S. service will be the highest profile name to join a growing campaign starting at midnight Eastern Time on Wednesday that will see it black out its page so that visitors will only see information about the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect Intellectual Property Act.
> 
> ...





*Source*


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## thetechfreak (Jan 17, 2012)

SOPA = #fail


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## Liverpool_fan (Jan 17, 2012)

Good stuff by Wikipedia.
Only if Google tries do to this for only an hour.


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## RahulB (Jan 17, 2012)

SOPA Sucks.... Hope these lawmakers rot in garbage....

Good idea: Google should do something like Wikipedia...
Turn out ... many SOPA supporters inside Congress are actually pirates..


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## d6bmg (Jan 17, 2012)

This sucks.. 
1 day without study & emergency referances. :-/


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## Alok (Jan 17, 2012)

Its big turn. 
Let's see what will be effect.



Liverpool_fan said:


> Good stuff by Wikipedia.
> Only if Google tries do to this for only an hour.



that's i'm waiting for.. Really just 1 hour should be enough.


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## Liverpool_fan (Jan 17, 2012)

d6bmg said:


> This sucks..
> 1 day without study & emergency referances. :-/



Way to miss the point.


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## Ronnie11 (Jan 17, 2012)

have heard a lot about sopa..but no idea what the bill actually is..can anyone enlighten me as to y there is so much protest about it???


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## d6bmg (Jan 17, 2012)

Liverpool_fan said:


> Only if Google tries do to this for only an hour.



That would be almost equal to internet blackout. Don't worry, that will never happen.


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## Krow (Jan 17, 2012)

Ronnie11 said:


> have heard a lot about sopa..but no idea what the bill actually is..can anyone enlighten me as to y there is so much protest about it???



Ronnie, when there is a thread on SOPA in this very section, why would you ask this question here? Please search before you post.

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/technology-news/150426-sopa-death-internet-we-know.html

The blackout will harm users, no?


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## Liverpool_fan (Jan 17, 2012)

Ronnie11 said:


> have heard a lot about sopa..but no idea what the bill actually is..can anyone enlighten me as to y there is so much protest about it???


[YOUTUBE]hLYgs0xMDm0[/YOUTUBE]
What is SOPA and how does it work? The Stop Online Piracy Act explained | The Verge



Krow said:


> The blackout will harm users, no?


Far less harm than a permanent ban on the sites in question for one infringing link. Yes the bill is THAT moronic.


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## Ronnie11 (Jan 17, 2012)

Krow said:


> Ronnie, when there is a thread on SOPA in this very section, why would you ask this question here? Please search before you post.
> 
> *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/technology-news/150426-sopa-death-internet-we-know.html
> 
> The blackout will harm users, no?



my apologies...finding it hard to search around with low internet speeds here..did read a bit of it on wiki but couldn't make much sense of it...i apologise..



Liverpool_fan said:


> [YOUTUBE]hLYgs0xMDm0[/YOUTUBE]
> What is SOPA and how does it work? The Stop Online Piracy Act explained | The Verge
> 
> 
> Far less harm than a permanent ban on the sites in question for one infringing link. Yes the bill is THAT moronic.



Thank you for the info..much appreciated...


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## Krow (Jan 17, 2012)

No issues mate, even I didn't know you have slow internet problems. Next time, please take a look if possible.


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## ferris (Jan 17, 2012)

Very good decision by Wikipedia.

Hopefully lots of people wondering why Wikipedia isn't displayed tomorrow will actually read the information provided about SOPA and pressure their lawmakers about it.


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## Krow (Jan 17, 2012)

I still don't get how a blackout will help to be honest. They could achieve the same effect by a banner ad.


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## Liverpool_fan (Jan 17, 2012)

Krow said:


> I still don't get how a blackout will help to be honest. They could achieve the same effect by a banner ad.





ferris said:


> Very good decision by Wikipedia.
> Hopefully lots of people wondering why Wikipedia isn't displayed tomorrow will actually read the information provided about SOPA and pressure their lawmakers about it.




A banner can NEVER have that effect.


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## arnab.d287 (Jan 17, 2012)

The best thing is I dont have to submit my project in these two days.. Or else without Wikipedia I would have only my name in it and nothing else


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## nims11 (Jan 18, 2012)

^^ disable javascript and you will be able to access wikipedia


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## doomgiver (Jan 18, 2012)

Uncyclopedia

read and enjoy!!


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## d6bmg (Jan 18, 2012)

nims11 said:


> ^^ disable javascript and you will be able to access wikipedia



Without disabling javascript users just have to stop loading is the page manually before it could complete to stop that redirection.


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## rajeevk (Jan 18, 2012)

Google's Black Out can increase the effect highly.


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## Vyom (Jan 18, 2012)

I love the way wikipedia has handled the blackout. Not by shutting down the servers. They redirect it after a few seconds. I think it would have a greater effect. The sudden transition to black screen could be shocking to some who are not aware for the protests.

Wait till the people behind this hideous law, are faced with the questions of their children, about why Wikipedia is not working as it always do! Let them answer their sons and daughters about how Wikipedia 'break the law' by sharing information from the users all around the world!


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## buddyram (Jan 18, 2012)

rajeevk said:


> Google's Black Out can increase the effect highly.



if it happens, then the internet traffic will be all time low


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## Vyom (Jan 18, 2012)

buddyram said:


> if it happens, then the internet traffic will be all time low



On the contrary, it may increase. Since people would find it hard to digest that google can be shutdown, and it will create a chaos.
Also numerous other services depends on google will panic.
So yeah google should do a protest, atleast for an hour.


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## Krow (Jan 18, 2012)

Adblock plus blocks the wiki blackout.


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## Vyom (Jan 18, 2012)

nims11 said:


> ^^ disable javascript and you will be able to access wikipedia







d6bmg said:


> Without disabling javascript users just have to stop loading is the page manually before it could complete to stop that redirection.






Krow said:


> Adblock plus blocks the wiki blackout.



I don't understand why people are trying to "circumvent" the blackout. Its not entities like wikipedia who are trying to enforce a blackout. Its the absurd idea by the governing bodies that they can control Internet!

Don't forget guys, if law such as SOPA passes, then even this forum is an easy target.


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## Nipun (Jan 18, 2012)

Minecraft.net has also joined the protestors.


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## Liverpool_fan (Jan 18, 2012)

Agreed with Vineet, for every effort to circumvent that stuff you should work 10 times more to fight against SOPA and PIPA.


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## Who (Jan 18, 2012)

Almost all the sites i visit on regularly basis are having a blackout today and i can't help but smile as people are finally coming together to make the change they want to see but yeah it's sad that i have to do without them for a day but its all for a greater good as ACTA could be coming as well.


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## Arsenal_Gunners (Jan 18, 2012)

Krow said:


> I still don't get how a blackout will help to be honest. They could achieve the same effect by a banner ad.



This is true.I am sure everyone knows this by heart now
"Please read:A personal appeal from..."


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## Skud (Jan 18, 2012)

Someone just missed a step:- 

*twitter.com/#!/CyanogenMod/status/159544564162641920



> We are officially *supporting* #SOPA with a blackout. Support the cause now : google.com/takeaction


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## Arsenal_Gunners (Jan 18, 2012)

Vyom said:


> I don't understand why people are trying to "circumvent" the blackout.


Those who can circumvent it already know about the issue.They are not the target demographic of the blackout.


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## Vyom (Jan 18, 2012)

Liverpool_fan said:


> Agreed with Vineet, for every effort to circumvent that stuff you should work 10 times more to fight against SOPA and PIPA.



Thanks LFC. I would like to add one more thing.
The aim of Wikipedia is not to take the wealth of information out of reach from people, but to inform them about the barbaric attempt to control Interweb.
And I think they are doing it quite impressively.

Offtopic:
@Who: Glad to have you back buddy! 
(And to know you post too)


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## Arsenal_Gunners (Jan 18, 2012)

Anyway,today I know I can live without Wikipedia quite easily.Bring on SOPA!


Spoiler



*static.tumblr.com/noiu98j/gUplb4j88/trollface.jpg


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## dashing.sujay (Jan 18, 2012)

US is a big b@stard. I guess without some real historical protest we won't be able to stop it if US has its way.


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## Alok (Jan 18, 2012)

Even moddb, filefront, gamefront , wsg all of them are blocked.
I'm going to sleep.


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## dashing.sujay (Jan 18, 2012)

An update-



> Google Inc will place a link on its home page tomorrow protesting anti-piracy measures in the US Congress, joining other internet companies demonstrating against the Hollywood-backed legislation.
> 
> Google, owner of the world's most popular search engine, and Facebook Inc are among companies opposing House and Senate bills they say they will hurt the growth of the US technology industry. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia where users contribute entries, said it will shut the English version of its website for 24 hours tomorrow to protest the measures.
> 
> ...


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## Krow (Jan 18, 2012)

@Vyom I was just informing that ABP blocks the blackout.


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## Neuron (Jan 18, 2012)

and it was nice of them to do it that way.


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## Prime_Coder (Jan 19, 2012)

Vyom said:


> I love the way wikipedia has handled the blackout. Not by shutting down the servers. They redirect it after a few seconds. I think it would have a greater effect. The sudden transition to black screen could be shocking to some who are not aware for the protests.
> 
> Wait till the people behind this hideous law, are faced with the questions of their children, about why Wikipedia is not working as it always do! Let them answer their sons and daughters about how Wikipedia *'break the law'* by sharing information from the users all around the world!



This reminds me the story of Dandi March by M.K. Gandhi.


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## Zangetsu (Jan 19, 2012)

d6bmg said:


> Without disabling javascript users just have to stop loading is the page manually before it could complete to stop that redirection.



yeah I did that yesterday...but its a good initiative by Wiki


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## Vyom (Jan 19, 2012)

Its not an initiative, rather a participation. Granted its huge compared to what other sites like wired or vimeo has done with flashing just a subtle message on their home pages, compared to full blackout by wikipedia and XDA.
These sites have just earned more trust than ever before.

Respect. :thumbup:


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## asingh (Jan 19, 2012)

I doubt the Black outs will help. It is driven by lobbyists, and they have the funding of American companies. Sad.


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## Liverpool_fan (Jan 19, 2012)

asingh said:


> I doubt the Black outs will help. It is driven by lobbyists, and they have the funding of American companies. Sad.



Seems to help.
PIPA support collapses, with 13 new Senators opposed


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## Vyom (Jan 19, 2012)

^^ Good news.
The makers of such draconian laws have yet to estimate the power of social networking today. Or I hope they already have.


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