Do you have javascript disabled adlabs? Otherwise, you might see the blackout page when trying to access anything on Wikipedia.

Oh it's up, they've just redirected all English stuff to their protest banner. It does worry me when things happen in another country which I have absolutely no control over, though.

Ah, thanks fatty. I had javascript disabled and all the English pages were showing and working fine. Enabling Javascript on the "wikimedia.org" domain showed the blackout.

I must say that the Wikipedia blackout decision strikes me odd. However, so much of the internet has activist/advocacy agendas that it's perhaps not surprising.

If it helps put it into perspective, with the new legislation that was *almost* rushed through without public consultation, I could easily close down SimHQ.com in about 24 hours. If the bills pass, then here's the steps for the evil and curious:

Step 1. Post a link from a website whose domain is not registered in the US, i.e. say this one: http://bit.ly/yplNGn

Step 2. I'm shocked that the content of that link will 'completely destroy poor Hollywood', I raise a complaint with SimHQ's owner. (Hello Doug!)

Step 3. After some due time for process (say 15 seconds, as I am *very* worried about the media companies, and its not specified in the bills) I now inform both bit.ly and SimHQ.net/com's ISP & DNS registers that I have a SOPA/PIPA 'Piracy Complaint'. The internet service providers of dyn.com and register.com respectively, so I can contact them immediately too.

I now have four companies compelled by US legislation, who can either risk waiting for a Justice Department letter (which won't come, as my complaint is spurious) or take down the post and/or change the DNS info. The important bits (and you can see why Wikipedia might be concerned on this) are:

- Doug / SimHQ are now legally responsible for enforcing SOPA/PIPA, i.e. remove the posts that *may* contain IP infringement (no Boeing pictures please!). No more disclaimers on users being nice, it's up to Doug to police now.

- ISPs and DNS companies are now legally responsible for enforcing SOPA/PIPA, i.e. removing the complete offending domain from DNS. This is worth repeating - SimHQ.com would be removed from the Internet's DNS system until my complaint is resolved.

I can see the point of IP protection and how media companies handle piracy in the times we have now, but these proposed laws are/were awful and poorly conceived. If you care about or use any of the sites mentioned then you can see why they compelled to do something *before* they can slowly removed. SimHQ is the very definition of 'user content websites' that this clumsy bill would almost certainly either damage or potentially destroy. At best it's poorly worded and at worst it is an attack on everything that made the internet work in the first place.

I'm surprised more SimHQ'ers haven't expressed some concern, or haven't at least contacted their representatives. One thing to bear in mind is that you won't be reading steps like this from news websites like CNN or Fox, they are the major sponsors of the bill (Turner, News International/Fox etc).

Hopefully the steps today will make some politicians weigh up the lobby money vs re-election, but for all those claiming they love their free-speech - what did you do today about it? Your SimHQ is under threat gentlemen..

Frog, you truly knoweth no Fear. You are my Hero. +1000 to the power of infinity. This threat is real. It is a clear and present danger. If you tolerate this, then I have to ask WHY? When the law is an ass, what do we do?

Sort it out. Rebel, post haste.

V. Vendetta.

What agenda? Wikipedia's editors/users petitioned the Wikimedia Foundation to do a blackout, the issue was voted on and they chose to support it. Feel free to read it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Action

I think its getting closer to where its time to put down the pens and placards and pick up real instruments of political change.

The best part of the bill is that damn near all the creators have no knowledge of internet based technologies to begin with yet alone even use internet services. You'd think that both parties wouldn't want to touch this with all their closely held beliefs, except the beliefs are just a BS cover story for elections. Once in office they always work for lobbyists. This is why all campaign financing should be public money.........

Speedo, my statement on advocacy was looking at the internet as a whole. Not Wikipedia specifically. For example look at a big player like Google. Just loading up the Google or YouTube front pages often presents advocacy causes, environmental, social, economic, health and political.

As to the Wikipedia blackout seeming odd to me, yes I have read the statement. I suppose my thinking was that if I had worked to build an impartial repository such as Wikipedia, I would have reservation about using the body of work itself as a political statement or tool. I think it is possible to have and express opinions on politics that may impact such a project, without risking politicization of the project itself as active element or leader in protest or promotion.

I say "not surprising" given the above, since there does seem to be a stronger freedom to participate for many people on the internet as compared to the more nervous posturing from offline businesses or organizations.

Yes, and toss in the fact that a grade school kid can easily defeat the system. Shows just what quality technical briefings the legislators have been given.