What’s important

When drafting a law, just like when writing a computer program, we should always keep in mind how it can be abused and what are the consequences of those abuses. Because sooner or later, it will. Usually sooner than later.

Today is SOPA/PIPA protest day all over the internet. I don’t live in the United States, but I’m still concerned because this will have ripple effects all over the internet, and once passed it’ll put pressure on other countries to do the same.

Copyright raison-d’être is to promote progress of science and arts. But copyright can also stifle creation and become a censorship tool if misused and enforced too eagerly.

Maybe we need to remind ourself that everything is a remix. Which means that there’ll always be someone somewhere to claim you’re infringing on their copyright. And if you force websites to be blocked at the first copyright complain, your website better not displease anyone.

Well, it’s worse than that. You better not link to anyone who might displease someone, because those links are enough ground to shut down or block a site under these laws. Scary.