CNET learns the FBI is quietly pushing its plan to force surveillance backdoors on social networks, VoIP, and Web e-mail providers, and that the bureau is asking Internet companies not to oppose a law making those backdoors mandatory. Read this article by Declan McCullagh on CNET News.
Big business has a new plan to fatten their pockets: a giant global pact, with an international tribunal to enforce it, that is kept top secret for years (even from our lawmakers!) and then brought down like a Death Star on our democracies. Big Tobacco, Big Oil, Big Pharma, Walmart and almost 600 other corporate lobbyists are all in on the final draft — including limits on smoking laws, affordable medicines and free speech on the Net.
Oh my god what the shit. Will these people STOP already.
Really good article on the lack of perception the game industry has over who is actually looking to buy games nowadays, and the serious gender imbalance in the atmosphere and marketing at the whole event.
From the article:
The Entertainment Software Association’s own data shows how large the female audience has become. “Forty-seven percent of all players are women, and women over 18 years of age are one of the industry’s fastest growing demographics,” the group’s 2012 report stated. “Today, adult women represent a greater portion of the game-playing population (30 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent).” Of course, you wouldn’t know this from walking the show floor at E3.
The ESA is, unsurprisingly, unwilling to give more than a standard response to the issue of promotional models. “Exhibitors determine for themselves what is the best representation for their companies,” Dan Hewitt, Vice President of Media Relations and Event Management, Entertainment Software Association, told me. “Models are welcome if companies would like to have them, but that’s an individual exhibitor decision.”
The problem is that booth babes have become a pervasive part of the show, and that’s an issue for an industry that hopes to attract a mainstream audience. “E3 and other trade shows featuring half-naked booth babes, who know nothing about the games they’re promoting, do a disservice to the entire industry,” Tami Baribeau, the Editor in Chief of The Borderhouse Blog, told the Penny Arcade Report. “They reinforce the fact that games are marketed and predominantly designed for a demographic that excludes us. With every direction we look, from box cover art, to character design, to professional trade shows, to narrative, to costumes and equipment, to the game industry’s wage gap, it becomes more and more clear that we’re not ‘supposed’ to be enjoying games and they’re not for us.”
It’s worth reading the whole thing. I have been continually surprised by the quality of PAR’s coverage since it launched. Not the kind of thing I’d have expected Gabe and Tycho spearhead.
All U.S. Internet Providers will be policing downloads by July 12, 2012
(reposting and quoting from LJ)
Seriously. WHAT THE FLYING FUCK WORLD.
“File-sharers, beware: By July 12, major US Internet service providers (ISPs) will voluntarily begin serving as copyright police for the entertainment industry, according to Cary Sherman, chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The so-called “six-strikes” plan is said to be one of the most effective anti-piracy efforts ever established in the US.”
The article goes on to give details. After six notices, internet providers will decide to throttle a person’s internet speed, or cut it off altogether. I don’t know if they will crack down on torrents only, or if it is up to the internet provider. I get the sense it is up to the internet provider. So some people could get away with downloading non torrents, while others might get their internet service cut off. I urge you to click it and read, as we all know people who download.
No more downloading eps of your favorite shows for vidding, gifs, or fanfiction art. No more downloading screencaps possibly. I’m so sorry my friends. I don’t even know if BT Guard will work to protect you, but I would google it if I were you. It is a professional service that supposedly can protect you from the invasive eyes of your internet provider.
Just, my friends, please make each other aware. Please be aware of the date JULY 12TH. Mark your calendar and double check with your internet provider by then. If you start receiving notices of downloaded activity, this is why. And your internet service could be throttled or cut off.
Fox news confirms this:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/17/us-isps-become-copyright-cops-starting-july-12/
Youtube video explaining this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5OG0R-yS-cEducation Time!
The system in question is called the “Copyright Alert System” (CAS) and it’s described in full on this webpage. The system implementation has been delayed and is not likely to start on July 12th anymore.
The only real change that this indicates is that if you get copyright infringement notices from the RIAA or MPAA (those scary letters that they mail you when you are caught) the ISP will note that in their system and take progressively stronger measures, per letter received, to ensure that you are aware of what’s going on and that you stop doing it. The first four infringement letters that the ISP receives will just result in warnings, the fifth is a warning with an optional “Mitigation Measure” (slowed speed or temporary disconnect until you discuss the infringements with your ISP), the sixth is a mandatory “Mitigation Measure”. Permanent denial of internet service has NOT been agreed upon by the ISPs, disconnects will be temporary.
One last thing I want to be clear on: your ISP will not be actively attempting to catch you downloading illegally, they are only implementing a system by which, if you are caught by the MPAA or RIAA, you will be notified. This also means that legal torrents will still be fine: the MPAA and RIAA have no right to send infringement notices for content which they do not own, which means that your ISP cannot mark it down as infringement, which means that your account will not receive a notice or an alert. So basically, the ISPs have just agreed to be a little more cooperative with copyright holders and to keep track of when their customers have received infringement notices. If you receive a lot of infringement notices in the mail, then this could cause problems for you, but if your methods of acquiring content don’t usually result in infringement notices, this probably won’t really change much for you.
Oh thank god I was worried. Rogers is already a nightmare to deal with.
(via birdbrainblue)
Hey everyone, remember the nightmare that was SOPA and PIPA? IT’S NOT OVER!
Reports say that lawmakers will vote on the bill as early as Wednesday, April 25th or Thursday, April 26th. It isn’t looking very good. It is of utmost importance that you contact your local representatives to tell them that you do not agree with this bill and they shouldn’t either. Make your voice heard. Don’t let this happen.Want to learn more about CISPA? Check out the EFF’s Cybersecurity Bill FAQ.
Don’t know who your representatives are? Just use this.
It takes maybe five minutes of your time to do this — make the effort. It will certainly be worth it.
Well colour me terrified.
