

Stop Exaggerating SOPA - robertskmiles
http://blog.robertskmiles.com/post/14597342716/stop-exaggerating-sopa

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chimeracoder
> [T]here’s simply no way that SOPA could be properly enforced. And,
> ironically, that’s the most dangerous thing about it.

Spot on. People keep saying that 'only the worst offenders would be
prosecuted'. However, anytime a law is enforced only partially, you have to
stop and ask yourself what other biases (in the statistical sense) are being
included by proxy (intentionally or not).

For example, in the case of drug laws, 'only the worst offenders' ends up
meaning 'enforced disproportionately by race/socioeconomic status'. It wasn't
the intention of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, but it's undeniably
been the outcome.

My hypothesis is that, in the case of SOPA, it would end up meaning'enforced
disproportionately against individuals and small corporations to the benefit
of the large corporations' - but in these cases, you can never be sure that
there isn't some other hidden factor as well until it's too late.

~~~
robertskmiles
> My hypothesis is that, in the case of SOPA, it would end up meaning'enforced
> disproportionately against individuals and small corporations to the benefit
> of the large corporations' - but in these cases, you can never be sure that
> there isn't some other hidden factor as well until it's too late.

I agree, and it's also worth remembering that those factors can change.
Perhaps the current administration will selectively enforce in one way, but
the law may be on the books for a long time, and those in power in the future
may use that tool in quite a different way.

P.S. I edited the post since yours - "that’s the most dangerous thing about
it" is now "that’s what makes it so dangerous", because I think it's less
ambiguous. I don't think it affects your post, I just wanted people to know
that you didn't misquote.

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technomancy
"The best way to stop a bad law is to enforce it rigorously."

