And this belongs in the Chess.com Community forum category because . . .
EDIT: That didn't take long. Now it's found a better home. 
English Wikipedia anti-SOPA blackout
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2 bills,if passed ,would be devastating to the web
This does not belong chess.com but the English world Wikipedia,the owner of this decision on its site pages
This is the first paragraph of the annoincement:
"Today, the Wikipedia community announced its decision to black out the English-language Wikipedia for 24 hours, worldwide, beginning at 05:00 UTC on Wednesday, January 18 (you can read the statement from the Wikimedia Foundation here). The blackout is a protest against proposed legislation in the United States—the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the U.S. Senate—that, if passed, would seriously damage the free and open Internet, including Wikipedia."
I believe these two bills in fact would put on brakes to the expansion/development of the internet. For one thing, protection requires a watchdog (as if netizens are all crooks). An unfortunate event might arise where an innocent chatter may be charged with violation of intellectual property rights by misquotation/plagiarism. Even Shakespeare would be navigating a minefield!
The decision to shut down the English Wikipedia wasn’t made by the owner; it was made by editors, through a consensus decision-making process. But The OWNER support it.
Jan 17, 2012
0
#7
Any legislation which limits freedom on the web is an infringement of the rights of everyone who uses the web. Chess.com soley exists on the web. So far, all of us have easy access to virtually anything. What you don't like you can easily avoid. Everyone who uses the web will do well to support Wikapedia and your and my individual and collective rights. Thank you mitto for the posting. I'm taking this to all of my groups. For those of you who don't see the danger, don't impeed those of us who do.
Jan 17, 2012
0
#8
..."It is the opinion of the English Wikipedia community that both of these bills, if passed, would be devastating to the free and open web.
Over the course of the past 72 hours, over 1800 Wikipedians have joined together to discuss proposed actions that the community might wish to take against SOPA and PIPA. This is by far the largest level of participation in a community discussion ever seen on Wikipedia, which illustrates the level of concern that Wikipedians feel about this proposed legislation. The overwhelming majority of participants support community action to encourage greater public action in response to these two bills. Of the proposals considered by Wikipedians, those that would result in a “blackout” of the English Wikipedia, in concert with similar blackouts on other websites opposed to SOPA and PIPA, received the strongest support."...
Jan 17, 2012
0
#9
..."Like Kat and the rest of the Wikimedia Foundation Board, I have increasingly begun to think of Wikipedia’s public voice, and the goodwill people have for Wikipedia, as a resource that wants to be used for the benefit of the public. Readers trust Wikipedia because they know that despite its faults, Wikipedia’s heart is in the right place. It’s not aiming to monetize their eyeballs or make them believe some particular thing, or sell them a product. Wikipedia has no hidden agenda: it just wants to be helpful.
That’s less true of other sites. Most are commercialy motivated: their purpose is to make money. That doesn’t mean they don’t have a desire to make the world a better place –many do!– but it does mean that their positions and actions need to be understood in the context of conflicting interests.
My hope is that when Wikipedia shuts down on January 18, people will understand that we’re doing it for our readers. We support everyone’s right to freedom of thought and freedom of expression. We think everyone should have access to educational material on a wide range of subjects, even if they can’t pay for it. We believe in a free and open Internet where information can be shared without impediment. We believe that new proposed laws like SOPA –and PIPA, and other similar laws under discussion inside and outside the United States– don’t advance the interests of the general public. You can read a very good list of reasons to oppose SOPA and PIPA here, from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Why is this a global action, rather than US-only? And why now, if some American legislators appear to be in tactical retreat on SOPA?
The reality is that we don’t think SOPA is going away, and PIPA is still quite active. Moreover, SOPA and PIPA are just indicators of a much broader problem. All around the world, we’re seeing the development of legislation intended to fight online piracy, and regulate the Internet in other ways, that hurt online freedoms. Our concern extends beyond SOPA and PIPA: they are just part of the problem. We want the Internet to remain free and open, everywhere, for everyone.
On January 18, we hope you’ll agree with us, and will do what you can to make your own voice heard.
Sue Gardner,
Executive Director
Take action: If you’re a US citizen, contact your representative to let them know you oppose SOPA and PIPA."
Jan 17, 2012
0
#10
Here's how to contact US Congress:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=WA
I've contacted them on other issues before. It is quite easy to do.
That's okay with me. You can not post your own autobiography there which I wanted to post it. Somebody should post your biography for them to accept it to publish it in public. That's the only web site that my name was not there. I posted my short autobiography at wiki commom but it was not shown in public. it's time for them to black out it since you can not post your own biography.
Ray
Ray Duque III (GMBD), New York City
Jan 17, 2012
0
#12
RayDuqueIII wrote:
That's okay with me. You can not post your own autobiography there which I wanted to post it. Somebody should post your biography for them to accept it to publish it in public. That's the only web site that my name was not there. I posted my short autobiography at wiki commom but it was not shown in public. it's time for them to black out it since you can not post your own biography.
Ray
Ray Duque III (GMBD), New York City
You don't have the slightest clue what's going on, do you?
Cystem_Phailure wrote:
RayDuqueIII wrote:
That's okay with me. You can not post your own autobiography there which I wanted to post it. Somebody should post your biography for them to accept it to publish it in public. That's the only web site that my name was not there. I posted my short autobiography at wiki commom but it was not shown in public. it's time for them to black out it since you can not post your own biography.
Ray
Ray Duque III (GMBD), New York City
You don't have the slightest clue what's going on, do you?
Correct Cystem_Phailure, weather I have slightest clue or not, I was just telling my side of the story that wikipedia was not accepting your own autobiography. It should be written by another person for them to accept it to publish it in public.
suzettemy wrote:
Any legislation which limits freedom on the web is an infringement of the rights of everyone who uses the web. Chess.com soley exists on the web. So far, all of us have easy access to virtually anything. What you don't like you can easily avoid. Everyone who uses the web will do well to support Wikapedia and your and my individual and collective rights. Thank you mitto for the posting. I'm taking this to all of my groups. For those of you who don't see the danger, don't impeed those of us who do.
+1
And also +1 to CJ for the links.
Jan 17, 2012
0
#15
Giving it away? This is a case of the giant copyright-holding companies buying legislation and votes. What could be more American than that?
You know, if we weren't America I would think we were a third-world country.
The world is like a bottle of syrup. Every once in a while it all gets stuck at the bottom, and you have to pick it up and shake it and turn it upside down. But eventually it will go to the bottom again.
Jan 17, 2012
0
#18
Even if legislation passes, it doesn't mean the end of the world. The Internet censoring CDA was passed in 1996 and the Supreme Court struck it down 9-0 in 1997 before it ever took effect. The gov responded by passing the COPA, and it was ultimately struck down by the courts before it ever took effect. Just because Congress passes a law doesn't mean it becomes a law. It's just the first play of the game.
Good evening.
I am a small giver of support for Wikipedia, Wikimedia…. I have not taken part any more for two years in the projects, but I am an enthusiastic defender of the freedom of this site.
That's okay with me. You can not post your own autobiography there which I wanted to post it. Somebody should post your biography for them to accept it to publish it in public. That's the only web site that my name was not there. I posted my short autobiography at wiki commom but it was not shown in public. it's time for them to black out it since you can not post your own biography.
Ray
Ray Duque III (GMBD), New York City
Urgent and break news
Today, the Wikipedia community announced its decision to black out the English-language Wikipedia for 24 hours, worldwide, beginning at 05:00 UTC on Wednesday, January 18 http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Home
SOPA = Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)
It is the opinion of the English Wikipedia community that both of these bills, if passed, would be devastating to the free and open web.
READ The details about that both of these bills Here http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/English_Wikipedia_anti-SOPA_blackout