Nintendo, Sony, EA Withdraw Support for SOPA: Too Little Too Late?

[btarunr]

Video game industry majors Nintendo, Sony, and EA dropped financial support for the passage of Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), as an increasing number of the bill's proponents are feeling the sting of bad PR as a result of their endorsement of the bill. Last month we've seen domain registrar GoDaddy suffer a mass exodus of tens of thousands of domains to its competitors due to its initial endorsement of SOPA, which it later withdrew seeing the public outcry that has some real implications on its business.

This latest withdrawal from Nintendo, Sony, and EA appears to be similar, a knee-jerk response to the bad PR each of SOPA's endorsers are getting. The updated list of the bill's endorsements (read: here) shows the three companies to be missing from it (they were earlier listed). SOPA has been widely criticized as being overkill, too wide-ranged, and too vaguely written to tackle online piracy. Critics say it is peppered with loopholes that make censorship by corporations and governments easy. Think of it as using a tactical nuclear strike to take down a pillbox. Sure, the pillbox will be obliterated, but you end up destroying everything unrelated to it in a very wide area surrounding it.

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[_JP_]

Gee, I wonder if this had anything to do with it:

 

[TheMailMan78]

You can't "withdraw" your support after the bomb has been dropped.

Gee, I wonder if this had anything to do with it:

Yeah I doubt it.

 

[Athlon2K15]

leethacks!!!

 

[_JP_]

You can't "withdraw" your support after the bomb has been dropped.

Exactly, it's like getting one of those tattoos that even if you try to remove it with lasers, it will still leave a mark and people are going to notice it.
Of course, you can still try to hide it with clothes.

 

[qubit]

Thanks bta, you've just made my day with this story.

 

[trickson]

overkill, too wide-ranged, and too vaguely written to tackle online piracy.

Yeah they pass Bills like this ALL the time . What makes You think they can't get this one to pass as well ? Thing is more and more people are being left out of the Bill making and Bill pass process , This is an every day event and some day ( I hope ) the people of the USA will wake up and take back what is rightfully ours ! Time to STOP these blood sucking lawyers in public office NOW !

 

[Jegergrim]

I have a feeling many have yet to withdraw their support for SOPA, at least if this trend continues

 

[HossHuge]

Hoss's Respect gauge
no respect 1---------------------10 respect
Sony and EA +0.4

Up from 0

Think of it as using a tactical nuclear strike to take down a pillbox. Sure, the pillbox will be obliterated, but you end up destroying everything unrelated to it in a very wide area surrounding it.

Zing!

 

[WhiteLotus]

You can't "withdraw" your support after the bomb has been dropped.

This.

Of course they were always going to "withdraw" support. They don't want to be seen as the bad guys but will always give that appreciate nod to those that make it go through.

 

[trickson]

How many would really boycott Nintendo, Sony, or EA like they did Go-Daddy ? Not many and even if they do not have support all they really have to do it tack on a catchy phrase on it like " To protect Children from ONLINE theft ! " And it would pass in a HEART beat , Not one suite dummy would read it at all ! Think I am wrong just look at all the laws that are passed with phrases like this and see . You would be amazed . Even Obama care was passed for the children ! AND tell me how many of them suit dummies read that mess ?

 

[_JP_]

I don't even understand why L'Oreal is on that list.

L'Oreal: Those pirates are stealing my cosmetics!!
Pirate: Ahoy! Me like t' look pretty too, savvy?

 

[newtekie1]

Wait, I still see Sony on the list, just not Sony the parent company. Sony Recording Entertainment, Sony Music Nashville, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing. As far as I'm concerned, I'll still consider Sony a supporter of SOPA until all their little hands are out of the pot.

 

[Fx]

Wait, I still see Sony on the list, just not Sony the parent company. Sony Recording Entertainment, Sony Music Nashville, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing. As far as I'm concerned, I'll still consider Sony a supporter of SOPA until all their little hands are out of the pot.

good catch. the shady, corporate filth are trying to have it both ways

 

[trickson]

good catch. the shady, corporate filth are trying to have it both ways

So boycott them .

 

[HossHuge]

Also on the list.

Christian Music Trade Association
Church Music Publishers’ Association

Makes me laugh to think about religious people stealing christian music.....
How's that for irony?

 

[trickson]

Also on the list.

Christian Music Trade Association
Church Music Publishers’ Association

Makes me laugh to think about reglious people stealing christian music.....
How's that for irony?

 

[AphexDreamer]

2012 = sopa.

 

[trickson]

If you are against sopa then you should boycott all the companies that support it .

 

[qubit]

If you are against sopa then you should boycott all the companies that support it .

Damned right!

 

[Deleted member 24505]

My gf is gonna hate me now when i melt down her tiffany and co bracelet

 

[Fx]

My gf is gonna hate me now when i melt down her tiffany and co bracelet

lol. gold is about the only thing worth any substantial value these days...

 

[Ahhzz]

Eh, screw them. Too little, too late. I've already perused the list. They were on it initially, which puts them on MY list. Given an alternative, someone else gets my business (Marvel, you hear me?), or I bypass them if I can.

 

[Fx]

Gee, I wonder if this had anything to do with it:

at first I was for them but now I am getting more hesitant the more I listen to their messages

I am wondering if it is one of our own agencies intentionally creating panic in order to give the government the backing they are looking for to push all of the internet censorship into place. that is their favorite trick after all...

 

[qubit]

I am wondering if it is one of our own agencies intentionally creating panic in order to give the government the backing they are looking for to push all of the internet censorship into place. that is their favorite trick after all...

Yeah, play it like you're the other side, but to give yourself the reason to implement what you're trying to push? Yeah, it happens and it may well be happening here for all I know. I'm not saying it is, but agree that it's certainly plausible.

Hey, that video sounds like something out of a movie!