Posted on 07/16/2010 4:07:25 PM PDT by Windflier
After the U.S. Government took action against several sites connected to movie streaming recently, nerves are jangling over the possibility that this is just the beginning of a wider crackdown. Now it appears that a free blogging platform has been taken down by its hosting provider on orders from the U.S. authorities on grounds of “a history of abuse”. More than 73,000 blogs are out of action as a result.
Hot on the heels of recent threats from Vice President Joe Biden and Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel directed at sites offering unauthorized movies and music, last month U.S. authorities targeted several sites they claimed were connected to the streaming of infringing video material.
(Snip)
Fears remain, however, that this action is only the beginning, and that more sites will be targeted as the months roll on. Indeed, TorrentFreak has already received information that other sites, so far unnamed in the media, are being monitored by the authorities on copyright grounds.
Now, according to the owner of a free WordPress platform which hosts more than 73,000 blogs, his network of sites has been completely shut down on the orders of the authorities.
They hate bloggers for sure.
There are a lot of these free sites doing illegal things but shutting down everyone to stop a few is stupid. It means the “authorities” aren’t doing their job.
It could easily be used to silence political enemies.
Huh? I just checked our family blog, its still there. Must have forgotten us, we just aren’t that interesting I guess.
Wow. I can’t wait to see Obama take down Blogger (Google). Or Yahoo. Or MSM.
Let him try this with the big boys. Better yet. Try one of the news sites like CBS, FOX and PMSNBC.
Even if you thought it was something else, think net-neutrality Obama style.
Your blog is hosted at blogetery.com and it’s still up?
What exactly is “history of abuse”? Could it be saying anything critical of Dear leader? I hope Rush, Hannity and other conservative talk shows have plans to go on shortwave from overseas and broadcast from beyond the Obama curtain.
Just to make sure, Love you all, g’bye everyone, in case I don’t have the chance tomorrow.
http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=964013
After being BurstNet customer for 7 months our server was terminated without any notification or explanation.
We’re trying to resolve the situation.
You can find details in this thread on webhostingtalk forum.
Ok, except it says wordpress.com. So why would it be something different?
Has WordPress released a comment about this on its site?
So which 73k of the 276,331 blogs? the most American ones?
Let's not get carried away before we know more. If it's a copyright issue, I don't have a problem. People have the right to profit from their intellectual or artistic property. The State doesn't own it ... yet!
Ping
Yep. I'm figuring this is a test run, to see how big a hornet's nest gets stirred up. If they can weather the inevitable storm, they'll start killing more websites.
Don't worry. They'll take your site down after they trace you back to here.
Yes, it’s all copyright or racist materials.
We can trust them.
They wouldn’t lie.
No need for any due process at all.
Nope. None whatsoever.
Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Obama!
Stupid crackers had it coming.
Maybe he isn’t crazy
“Grab everything you can off the Internet” - Glenn Beck
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2549817/posts
Let him try this with the big boys. Better yet. Try one of the news sites like CBS, FOX and PMSNBC.
Why would Obama want to shut those guys down? They're all part of his electronic Ministry of Propaganda.
It could be. Good thing we do some rerouting on our server. Oh, wait I shouldn’t have said that right?
I think it was somebody at Wordpress during the ‘08 campaign who was pimping a story about Obama’s African roots, or some racist rant by MO.
Nope, just checked their HOME page and not a peep...
In this particular case, it seems to be about copyright abuse. Still, it's a way for them to get their foot in the door.
Could it be saying anything critical of Dear leader?
We know that he and Rahm just salivate at the thought of shutting down the right-blogosphere and talk radio.
I don't know. I saw this story posted on Drudge and immediately posted it here. I'm sure lots of other info is forthcoming over the next 24 hours. This is a big story.
“There are a lot of these free sites doing illegal things but shutting down everyone to stop a few is stupid. It means the “authorities” aren’t doing their job.”
If the (possibly “innocent”) blogs are hosted on the same servers as the illegal download activity that was occurring, it might be that the blogs were “collateral damage” but unavoidable, if the action against downloading activity was right and legal.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2108756/posts
Pressure on API NOT to release Michelle Obama tape (Wordpress blog)
This is still an alarming story, especially given that 73,000 blogs were unplugged all at once. Do we really believe that "the authorities" scanned every one of these blogs for copyright infringement? I don't believe that government is that efficient.
For the moment, I'm thinking that this is a trial run, or a bungle of monstrous proportions.
Hey! I have standing here. Anyone need a lead plaintiff?
You didn't need to say it out loud for the Ministry of Truth to know what you were thinking...
Boo!
Seriously, though, it's a worrisome development. We'll see how it plays out over the next couple of days, but this is something that a great many of us have been worried about. Just how far can/will this administration go to silence their critics? That remains to be seen.
Dry run before the terrorist attack on free speech, eh?
How do we give ‘em enough heck that they know they better forget about doing anything more?
I agree with your statement. It just that it’s not quite 5pm here and drinking before 5 is probably not a good idea.
But if this keeps up I may start at 4.
Being with my grandkids last week, I was really sad that they may never know the greatness of America. I mean they are fine now, but what will their future be?
Oh, good grief my post #33 was really whinny. Just ignore whinny parts and reveal in the brilliant parts.
Oh, don’t worry: I am CERTAIN the broadcasters and ACLU and leftwing free speech advocates will protest Obama’s action. < \sarcasm>
My blog is hosted by WP and I haven’t noticed any changes. Is it just one particular site owner?
Wait a mo ... my blog is still up there. Perhaps this was a selective shut down of blogs violating the ToS? That’s a horse of a different color.
Just testing the kill switch.
"Today, NewWorldOrder Corps soldiers fired on a man in a crowd of 25,000 Tea Party protesters in Washington DC, who was alleged to have been carrying an illegal firearm, killing him instantly.
Sadly, the lawful take-down of the alleged lone gunman also resulted in the collateral fatalities of 24,000 attendees."
Mine’s still up too. But this sounds like EVERYBODY on one server was taken down. You can’t tell me they were ALL doing illegal stuff.
I wonder if those blogs can all be reinstated with everything intact.
“It means the “authorities” aren’t doing their job.”
Not so fast...it looks like the “authorities” are just learning how far they can go without opposition. Unless they’re resisted, they’ll go much, much further. “So much hate, so little control...”
“Grab everything you can off the Internet” - Glenn Beck
It's getting to the point where tin foil hats are becoming standard apparel. If you'd claimed two years ago that Obama was going to do everything he's done, you would have been called a paranoid nutjob.
Did your blog get zapped?
So what will be call our new government search engine?
I suggest Øbaidu.
First thing, I suppose, is to give it another day to get more details about exactly what occurred, and to let some corroborating stories hit the newsstands.
If everything checks out, then we've got to jam the phone lines in DC again to register our protest. May even have to call for a major Tea Party march.
The story says that Joe Biden has been advocating for this, which automatically makes it suspicious. Just what does Joe F'n Biden care about copyright infringement? I smell totalitarian agenda.
turns out no ... the post is wrong.
That future will be determined by what you, I, and every other patriotic American does (or doesn't do) over the next few years.
They could end up spawning the American equivalent of the Hong Kong Blondes.
I didn't think it was whiney. You've got every right to be concerned about your grand children's future. At present, there's no guarantee that they'll inherit the America we know and love. It really does depend on what we all do to secure it now.
This just looks like a favor to Hollywood for all their Obama love. Got to protect their precious movies.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.