The EU's trying to break the internet again

[Prelate Diogenes Shandor]

The European Union is voting soon on a number of measures that could seriously disrupt any web traffic going to, from, or through Europe. These measures were shot down before but they've been dredged back up. If you live in Europe please contact your member of the European Parliament to oppose them:


Under Article 11 -- the "link tax" -- online services are banned from allowing links to news services on their platforms unless they get a license to make links to the news; the rule does not define "news service" or "link," leaving 28 member states to make up their own definitions and leaving it to everyone else to comply with 28 different rules.

Under Article 13 -- the "censorship machines" -- anyone who allows users to communicate in public by posting audio, video, stills, code, or anything that might be copyrighted -- must send those posts to a copyright enforcement algorithm. The algorithm will compare it to all the known copyrighted works (anyone can add anything to the algorithm's database) and censor it if it seems to be a match.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/09/why-whole-world-should-be-arms-about-eus-looming-internet-catastrophe

[chaotic neutral observer]

Under Article 13 -- the "censorship machines" -- anyone who allows users to communicate in public by posting audio, video, stills, code, or anything that might be copyrighted -- must send those posts to a copyright enforcement algorithm. The algorithm will compare it to all the known copyrighted works (anyone can add anything to the algorithm's database) and censor it if it seems to be a match.

I wonder if it would be possible to craft a set of images or videos that exploits weaknesses in the algorithm in order to generate a huge number of false positives.  Seems like an interesting challenge.

But in practice, I expect such a restriction would just result in wiping out every internet forum aside from twitter, facebook, and the youtube comment system.  Either every site would need to implement their own version of this (would would be absurdly expensive) or they would need to be integrated with a central authority (which would be a mess of apocalyptic proportions).

[Prelate Diogenes Shandor]

https://boingboing.net/2018/09/11/never-again.html

[Doktor Howl]

Speaking of the EU and breaking things...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/as-sweden-swings-right-bannons-anti-eu-crusade-looks-north/ar-BBNaSCS?ocid=spartanntp

[Prelate Diogenes Shandor]

Are

Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia are still retarded ideas, but they should leave over Article 13

[Doktor Howl]

I hate to say it, but it this passes they'd be right to leave. Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia would still be retarded ideas, but they'd be right to leave the EU

Welcome to the fun and exciting world of nationalism, jackass.  Buy the ticket, take the ride.

[Prelate Diogenes Shandor]

I hate to say it, but it this passes they'd be right to leave. Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia would still be retarded ideas, but they'd be right to leave the EU

Welcome to the fun and exciting world of nationalism, jackass.  Buy the ticket, take the ride.

Bannon's reasons why people should leave the EU (national sovereignty, national identity, etc) are still retarded.

The problem is that the EU is currently poised to deliver a non-retarded reason for countries to leave. There are a lot of benefits to being in the EU, and they're well worth giving up the kind of things that Bannon is worried about; the things he cares about are largely worthless anyway. They are not, however, worth giving up a free and open internet.

Here's a diagram. In descending order of importance:

The Internet>International cooperation>Individual nations and the other stupid shit bannon cares about

[Doktor Howl]

I hate to say it, but it this passes they'd be right to leave. Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia would still be retarded ideas, but they'd be right to leave the EU

Welcome to the fun and exciting world of nationalism, jackass.  Buy the ticket, take the ride.

Bannon's reasons why people should leave the EU (national sovereignty, national identity, etc) are still retarded.

The problem is that the EU is currently poised to deliver a non-retarded reason for countries to leave. There are a lot of benefits to being in the EU, and they're well worth giving up the kind of things that Bannon is worried about; the things he cares about are largely worthless anyway. They are not, however, worth giving up a free and open internet.

Here's a diagram. In descending order of importance:

The Internet>International cooperation>Individual nations and the other stupid shit bannon cares about

Look, let me just quote you on this for a little context.

Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia would still be retarded ideas, but

Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia would still be retarded ideas, but

Ask Britain how that fucking Brexit thing is working out.

Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia would still be retarded ideas, but

[Prelate Diogenes Shandor]

that "would" is because the vote is in the future, not because nationalism would stop being stupid. in retrospect it probably should have been a "will"; "Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia will still be retarded ideas regardless of the vote's outcome, but..."

[Doktor Howl]

that "would" is because the vote is in the future, not because nationalism would stop being stupid. in retrospect it probably should have been a "will"; "Closed borders, nationalism, and paranoid schizophrenic islamophobia will still be retarded ideas regardless of the vote's outcome, but..."

BUT

[Con-troll]

Don't wanna be an asshole, but at this point you're just baiting.

[hooplala]

 

[Doktor Howl]

Don't wanna be an asshole, but at this point you're just baiting.

Observe the bucket of my fucks.  It is as empty as our Dear Leader's head.

[Prelate Diogenes Shandor]

If it comes down to an either-or choice between a free web and open borders (and of course it would be best to have both but it looks like the entertainment industry is going to do their damnedest to make sure we can't have both) a free web is going to do more to foster international understanding. How often do you travel and how often do you talk to foreign people online?

[Doktor Howl]

If it comes down to an either-or choice between a free web and open borders (and of course it would be best to have both but it looks like the entertainment industry is going to do their damnedest to make sure we can't have both) a free web is going to do more to foster international understanding. How often do you travel and how often do you talk to foreign people online?

So what you're saying is that jack-booted fascism is okay as long as you have broadband?