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Kiwi’s Protest New Anti-Piracy Law

Last week, New Zealand joined the growing club of countries that have introduced special legislation to deal with illicit file-sharing.

Rushed through unexpectedly, the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill put in place a 3 strikes-style regime.

blackedIn response to the Government’s actions people immediately started to protest. As last year with operation blackout thousands of kiwis changed their Twitter and Facebook profile picture to a black one.

Yes, the profile picture revolution has started again….

I’ll be honest, personally I believe that changing your profile or joining a Facebook group is a laughable form of protest. If you really want to be heard you should get away from your computer, out on the streets.

That said, Facebook and Twitter can be a good tool to organize such real life protests. In new Zealand there are currently several demonstrations planned.

The demonstration at the Parliament in Wellington has over 300 confirmed attendees, and there are similar events in Christchurch and Auckland as well.

Join if you like, but please keep your profile picture…

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  • Anonymous

    The blackout could be a positive move for at least two reasons. Imagine you are on facebook, a friend you have not spoken to for quite a while suddenly pops up with a black profile picture. It identifies him/her as someone you can correspond directly with to possibly arrange real life protests. Now imagine an ignorant facebooker who suddenly notices quite a few of his/her friends are changing their profile pictures. This causes them to start asking questions and they are then educated about the cause.

    The fact is that basically ALL forms of protest are a positive for a protests cause. With the obvious excepts of tiny things that nobody will notice, and the use of any type of violence which is usually distructive to any cause. But everything within the extremes can be very helpful, even if its sole purpose is to just create exposure of the cause.

    • http://disqus.com/ Rob8urcakes

      Yes! What s/he ^ said.

      I’ve already written an email from the European Union to Simon Power, Minister of (so-called) Justice asking that this horrendous legislation be immediately removed.

      Protests is the way to go guys – whether that be on your profile pages or, preferably, on YOUR streets. Your freedoms are now SERIOUSLY at risk simply because a few popular corporations want to protect their rip-off schemes despite improvements in technology.

      We SHALL win in the end guys, but you MUST write those letters, black-out your profile-pic AND take to the streets in peacable protest. Make your voice heard, be counted and make your elected politicians accountable to you and your needs.

  • coffee right

    Everyone has to rise up for their rights in any way at which they can. Even though a profile “black out” may seem ridiculous, it might actually work really well. Personally though, I believe a good protest would be a week of a complete boycott of music, software, and movie purchasing. That’s just my opinion though.

  • tinhead

    Just to point out there was pretty much the same law that was almost passed last year in New Zealand called section 92A and in part if it wasn’t for the people who blacked out there profiles it wouldn’t have been thrown out like it was.

    I’ll be marching in Auckland thats for sure! plus ill be doing anything else in my power to get this law thrown out.

    I also think international support it needed… all be it these are localized events its time for all of us to stand together and fight these governments and “global” organizations we really need some heavy hitters who have the man power joining the cause and organizing the people! if we don’t start fighting these people at all fronts we will lose..

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