My school teacher used to use the word berk. Ranks up there with idiot and fool.

Anyways, it wont pass.

Quote from Schwa

Seriously Zed how does this not disturb you.

"Oh, we're just putting surveillance in your computer to monitor for illegal files. If you don't have anything illegal don't worry."

"Oh, don't worry, we're just using the software to monitor for terrorist activity"

"Oh don't worry, we're just checking for people of the opposite political persuasion"

Or ...

"Oh, don't worry, we're just putting tax funded cameras in everyone's doorways, to check for illegal merchandise. If you're not stealing we won't look at the tape."

"Oh, don't worry. We're just checking for homosexuals and immoral people"


I don't think either of those are too far of a stretch from this.

The slippery slope argument holds no water. It is saying that we won't mind if they invade our privacy in the future. Fine. That's plausible. But if I won't mind it then it's not a problem. That's like saying that we should never have freed the slaves on the grounds that one day they might share a school with our kids.

Also, the amount of damage caused by piracy to the music industry is negligible. "Oh no, we're still posting record profits! Someone get that torrenter!"

The damage this type of action will cause in terms of invasion of privacy, and hell, even costs, far outweigh any damage done by piracy.

Any damage done by torrents is the fault of the media industry for holding on to an outdated business model. Should our government be there to prop up companies that can't adapt their business models?

Any democratic government is meant to be responsive to the people, not corporate interests.

I agree with all of this. I never said this wouldn't bother me if it actually happened, hell, I like stealing music as much as anyone and wouldn't get the music in the first place if I had to pay. I was just pointing out everything that was wrong with Scatman.

Damn you Zed's signature! You don't control shit.

I disagree with this bit though.

Quote from Sacred

Pros: Will be able to stop thieves. Get rid of those fags who pre-release things to everyone and destroys the suspense and profits of the product.

Cons: They'll practically find almost every american with a computer holding something pirated and illegal within their computers. In which case all this shit will happen and yadda yadda. You seem where I'm getting at.

Simply put, only do it for products that are being waited amongst a large amount of people.

I'm just going to put this here since it was cawkblawked by useless stuff.

AND THE SLOPE KEEPS OOOONN SLIIPPPIIIlIIIIIIIINNNN YEAH!!

Quote from Zed

The slippery slope argument holds no water.

That's simply not true. If I can take one little bit of control then I can use that as a stepping stone to more control.

As an example, Hitler took the Rhineland, if he had been opposed he would have pulled out. After that success he said he wanted Czechoslovakia, at that point he wasn't willing to risk a war for the Sudetenland. They gave it to him. So he then attacks poland thinking the LON won't retaliate against him.

First it's your illegal files, then it's your gay porn, then it's your house. It's not that much of a stretch.

The problem with government is that once you give them any sort of power it's much harder to take it away.

------

Also, the part about you not minding. Just because you don't mind it doesn't mean it's not a problem. You know, I really don't mind women being stoned to death in Nigeria. Does that mean it's not a problem?

Zed, you seem to be missing the point. You give the government access to your computer's files, and sooner or later, they will abuse this power.

Quote from Scarecrow

Zed, you seem to be missing the point. You give the government access to your computer's files, and sooner or later, they will abuse this power.

This. Abuse of power always happens.

Quote from Schwa

That's simply not true. If I can take one little bit of control then I can use that as a stepping stone to more control.

First it's your illegal files, then it's your gay porn, then it's your house. It's not that much of a stretch.

Who the **** told you about that folder

Some of you guys here are so serious that it's almost depressing. Especially you chunky. For christ's sake, you guys wonder why people leave so often.

Quote from ScatMan

I'm pretty sure I'm not a hammerass retard. If I didn't know anything I wouldn't be here. Or alive.
And who said I was acting like the 'righteous' one? Damn straight I'd do something if the RIAA busted the **** into my computer. You'd do something, too.
Technically, they'd be stealing, too. Theft defines the act of taking someones property without their freely-given consent. And I damn well wouldn't tell the RIAA to go take shit from my computer.

You wouldn't be able to do something about it.

let's say hypothetically that you torrented while america passed a bill allowing surveillance.
If police found your american IP in a torrent tracker for a confirmed illegal download from isohunt or something (because you would be dumb enough to not use a P2P protector), they'd put you under surveillance because it's pretty much something you can get a search warrant for (catching you stealing).
They remove the files and keep track of you, like how they'd keep track of someone who kills and rapes small kids like yourself around small kids. I'd say it's really extreme, a ridiculous and morally bothersome thing for a country to do to its citizens, but you shouldn't get caught doing something to provoke them into it in the first place.

Quote from Scarecrow

Zed, you seem to be missing the point. You give the government access to your computer's files, and sooner or later, they will abuse this power.

That's why there are checks and balances in place that say that they can only look at downloads and check where they come from and some shit like that. You're not giving them unrestricted power to do something good and something bad at the same time. You're only giving them power to do the good stuff. There is no reason to give any power which can be abused.

Quote from ScatMan

This. Abuse of power always happens.

no it doesn't

Quote from Zed

That's why there are checks and balances in place that say that they can only look at downloads and check where they come from and some shit like that. You're not giving them unrestricted power to do something good and something bad at the same time. You're only giving them power to do the good stuff. There is no reason to give any power which can be abused.



no it doesn't

your government's almost definitely just incredibly stupid or misleading like my government

they are trying to censor our internet and everyone thinks it's a good idea because they have no clue what is actually being enforced because nobody's given them a straight answer because they don't want to tell them (PS. i could talk about this particular topic for hours)

Quote from Scarecrow

my government they have no clue what is actually being enforced because nobody's given them a straight answer because they don't want to tell them

off the top of my head

- 4chan
- anything to do with hardcore pr0ns
- hentai
- small breasted women
- overly violent sites
- sites that have affiliations with DIY weaponry
- "offensive" sites
- "tasteless" sites

Quote from Myself

off the top of my head

- 4chan
- anything to do with hardcore pr0ns
- hentai
- small breasted women
- overly violent sites
- sites that have affiliations with DIY weaponry
- "offensive" sites
- "tasteless" sites

WRONG

what they are actually censoring:

- Anything rated "RC" (refused classification)


THAT IS ALL. this includes all kinds of shit like religious websites, information on safe drug use, euthenasia sites, abortion websites, political stuff, videos about war crimes, etc

look up what is categorized in RC.

^ most of dat is RC, plus dem small tits is already banned apparently
idk i dont newsman

Quote from Zed

That's why there are checks and balances in place that say that they can only look at downloads and check where they come from and some shit like that. You're not giving them unrestricted power to do something good and something bad at the same time. You're only giving them power to do the good stuff. There is no reason to give any power which can be abused.



no it doesn't

Hoho, you're funny. Where you live, mah boi? Britannia? If you lived in America you'd know that power always gets abused. That's with anyone with enough of it.