The likely result of the 2011 and early 2012 PIPA (Protect IP Act) and SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) legislation. The initial formation of these documents, bankrolled by the MPAA and RIAA industry giants, was intended to stop piracy in yet another venue: online. The laws were written in such a broad way, and with such ineffective methodology (DNS blocking), that the impact of the laws on actual piracy would be minimal. Instead, the laws provide for action based on accusation, rather than due process. A website merely has to be reported as having copyrighted material, and the action to shut it down goes into effect - with proof of actual wrongdoing not required.
The likelihood of this being abused is high. The effects are bound to be staggering, especially on the smaller organizations whose websites are their storefronts. Stifling political action, information sharing, and more... based on accusation alone, just like McCarthyism in the 1950s.
The likelihood of this being abused is high. The effects are bound to be staggering, especially on the smaller organizations whose websites are their storefronts. Stifling political action, information sharing, and more... based on accusation alone, just like McCarthyism in the 1950s.
User Reports site: Samplesite.com has posted a picture of mine!!!
ISPs: Ok, block 'em. *blocks samplesite.com*
Samplesite.com: What the heck? Why aren't we getting any traffic? Nobody has clicked once today, and we normally get about 5000 a day! We're losing money!
Samplesite techs: Someone is blocking us - we can't get our website from outside. The redirect says we have copyrighted material posted illegally - but we don't!
Investigation reveals that a former user, banned from the service, has bragged to other users that he got "that damn site taken offline."
Samplesite CEO: I have to lay off some workers while we get this sorted out, because without income and traffic we can't pay everyone.
Samplesite Lawyers spend weeks to months trying to clear the name of the website. In the meantime, the business slowly dies.
Samplesite CEO: Damned Electronic McCarthyism!
ISPs: Ok, block 'em. *blocks samplesite.com*
Samplesite.com: What the heck? Why aren't we getting any traffic? Nobody has clicked once today, and we normally get about 5000 a day! We're losing money!
Samplesite techs: Someone is blocking us - we can't get our website from outside. The redirect says we have copyrighted material posted illegally - but we don't!
Investigation reveals that a former user, banned from the service, has bragged to other users that he got "that damn site taken offline."
Samplesite CEO: I have to lay off some workers while we get this sorted out, because without income and traffic we can't pay everyone.
Samplesite Lawyers spend weeks to months trying to clear the name of the website. In the meantime, the business slowly dies.
Samplesite CEO: Damned Electronic McCarthyism!
by Argentdragongirl February 6, 2012
Get the Electronic McCarthyismmug. disambiguation of "pencil pusher" a person with a clerical job involving a lot of tedious and repetitive computer work
J: "Hey team, I just moved all our work projects into JIRA!"
Q: "Jeff, you are such an electron pusher"
Q: "Jeff, you are such an electron pusher"
by RBaron June 21, 2022
Get the electron pushermug. by HydraMoonlight March 4, 2021
Get the Electronic Strokemug. by apolloobserved May 6, 2008
Get the electronic data systemmug. Hym "So they were asked 'What's the size of an electron?' And I guess the guy was saying it's not like a size thing but it's a 'field' or something. But whatever, what you are doing is worse than what I'm doing so what I'm going to do crank it up another order of magnitude if you don't stop, let it go, and leave me alone with the preceeds of my own labor."
by Hym Iam July 19, 2025
Get the What's the size of an electronmug. person: I made an app with Electron!
smart person: so you just put your website into an app
person: uhh
smart person: yeah
smart person: so you just put your website into an app
person: uhh
smart person: yeah
by purplecubeee September 23, 2023
Get the Electronmug. When an electronic device inexplicably stops working and, after multiple and different attempts to get it to work again, i.e., unplugging, plugging back in, re-booting etc., it starts working again.
It had an electronic version of a hairball.
It had an electronic version of a hairball.
After resetting the DIP switches and software configurations, the jimsonator started working again. I guess that cleared the EHB (electronic hairball).
by Arcturan October 14, 2011
Get the electronic hairballmug.