[Apth]

It's a pretty lame thing, but what's going to happen is what happens every time a legislative body comes up against nerds - the nerds find a way around it.

Alternative DNS root servers are already in place, and if SOPA goes through, we'll just use those.

Will it undermine the integrity of the DNS system? Yeah. And that'll suck. But that'll be the extent of the damage.

[mGGDaedalus]

Originally Posted by Apth

It's a pretty lame thing, but what's going to happen is what happens every time a legislative body comes up against nerds - the nerds find a way around it.

Alternative DNS root servers are already in place, and if SOPA goes through, we'll just use those.

Will it undermine the integrity of the DNS system? Yeah. And that'll suck. But that'll be the extent of the damage.

What they will actually end up doing with these laws if they pass may be one thing. But what they would be capable of doing is a lot more than I think you realise. Example, you post a copyright infringing video on youtube. The government can shut down youtube. This law basically allows them to take down a site for having copyright infringing material on it, regardless of blame.

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breadfan:

[Apth]

Originally Posted by FaDeJoshboy

What they will actually end up doing with these laws if they pass may be one thing. But what they would be capable of doing is a lot more than I think you realise. Example, you post a copyright infringing video on youtube. The government can shut down youtube. This law basically allows them to take down a site for having copyright infringing material on it, regardless of blame.

I don't think you read my post.

They take these sites down by changing the DNS entry for that site. The DNS servers they can control have to reside in the United States.

While the root DNS servers are in the US, setting up a DNS server that isn't controlled by ICANN and is outside of the US would be trivial - and I believe has already happened.

[mGGDaedalus]

Originally Posted by Apth

I don't think you read my post.

They take these sites down by changing the DNS entry for that site. The DNS servers they can control have to reside in the United States.

While the root DNS servers are in the US, setting up a DNS server that isn't controlled by ICANN and is outside of the US would be trivial - and I believe has already happened.

Yes but do you really believe if these laws pass they stay isolated to the United States? I believe there are already a few European countries with similar laws already passed, such as Spain (I'm a bit fuzzy on the details but I could look it up if pressed). So far they haven't really done much with those laws yet, but it's still scary the power those laws give them.

[Apth]

Originally Posted by FaDeJoshboy

Yes but do you really believe if these laws pass they stay isolated to the United States? I believe there are already a few European companies with similar laws already passed, such as Spain (I'm a bit fuzzy on the details but I could look it up if pressed). So far they haven't really done much with those laws yet, but it's still scary the power those laws give them.

The only feasible action they can take is changing DNS entries, the workarounds for which are childishly simple.

Typing the IP address of the website into your browser instead of the hostname, for example.

Is SOPA bad? Yes. Is it a step in the wrong direction? Yes. Should copyright legislation be reviewed? Yes.

Will SOPA stop people from getting to websites? No.

Originally Posted by breadfan

Apth, have you got a source for that? I don't think it'll be just "changing the DNS entry" - I could just change it right back? But they are able to block all DNS routing to and from a website, regardless of where it's located.

So even if you could set up a foreign website, your site becomes no longer accessible by anyone inside the US. That's not a real solution.

Wikipedia SOPA Article:
The Domain Name System (DNS) servers, most often equated with a phone directory, translate browser requests for domain names into the IP address assigned to that computer or network. The bill requires these servers to stop referring requests for infringing domains to their assigned IP addresses.

Go read this article: http://news.techeye.net/internet/aus...ers-are-a-joke