

Ask HN: Things I don't understand about SOPA... - noduerme

There are things I don't understand about SOPA. It's hard to get a clear picture of what the internet would look like if it actually passed. I have some questions I'm hoping people here can answer?<p>* Does SOPA only allow them to blacklist DNS entries? Or does it go further toward walling off American users from actual IP addresses abroad?<p>* Does it attempt to filter traffic to end-users, or block certain searches as is required in China?<p>* Does it include any provisions for penalizing the (willing or unwilling) recipient of copyrighted materials, and if so, what kinds of penalties would apply to someone who accidentally witnessed copyrighted data?<p>* Does it force ISPs to block actual IP ranges of violators, or does it all work through DNS changes? Are ISPs required to check if people are trying and/or keep lists of who tried to access certain servers?<p>* Does it have any legal sledgehammer to use against people who access the same info over a VPN or TOR, or is that just way over their heads?<p>Finally: What's to stop someone from putting out a daily/constantly updated and diffed hosts file, that people can automatically download, to let them easily access any site they want to?<p>[edited for readability]
======
billpatrianakos
I can't answer those questions but I would advise you not to buy into the
hysteria surrounding SOPA. There's a lot of fear-momgerint going on and I'm
willing to be many answers you get will be scary to you. Please try to look at
things objectively and leave emotion out of it. Panic never helps anyone.

I would suggest you Google this stuff but I'm also interested in the answers
so I also hope some people will get on here and answer. In any case, to answer
as best I can, SOPA doesn't quite implement this but it does open the door to
the possibility of the US having something similar to the Great Firewall of
China. That's as much as I can say without showing total ignorance. Good luck.

