I am one of the web pioneers but this is about the most amazing thing that I will be witnessing on the web as long as I can remember. Tomorrow on January 18th the english version of Wikipedia will shut down for 24 hours to protest two upcoming (?) american laws (SOPA and PIPA) that set the legal foundations to censor the web. This is happening in the country that is so proud of it’s freedom of speech.
- Press release: http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/English_Wikipedia_to_go_dark
- Letter to Users: http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/English_Wikipedia_anti-SOPA_blackout
- User discussion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Action see below for a saved copy!
This is such an important move of democracy that I was standing still for a couple of minutes after I heard of this! 1’800 active wikipedia authors moderators and administrators collectively agreed to make this move in order to show a protest! I am very excited to see where this will be going and what impact this has. Freedom of the internet is what makes this such a beautiful space. Everyone spread this word! discuss this! Don’t let anyone take the freedom of speech and information sharing from you!
Since the user discussion and poll won’t be available tomorrow I attached them to my blogpost.
http://www.rene-pickhardt.de/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Wikipedia-SOPA-initiative-Action-Wikipedia-the-free-encyclopedia.html
I will not comment on this any further. Please everyone Have your own oppinion and act with responsability.