The Tangent: Thin Layer of PROTECTion

18 January, 2012 13 April, 2021

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Shorter than most Tangents, and perhaps harsher in tone, because the issue is a simple one that some companies, Sega included, hope people don’t notice.

I doubt I need to explain to you what SOPA is, or the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). If you still somehow are in the dark about the details of the proposed bills, look at Reddit’s or Wikipedia’s summation, or one of the countless others. It doesn’t take that long to learn about the numerous flaws and issues, the massive loopholes that will defeat the point of these bills being “anti-piracy” bills, and the creeping threat of “Don’t worry, we’re only going to use it for this one awful thing. Never anything else. We promise.”

You already know the issues and threats. You know how shamelessly some politicians have actually bragged about their lack of knowledge on the subject, while supporting the bill all the same. You’ve seen the supporters list, all pouring money into promoting this bill in one form or another, set to benefit from the unprecedented control it will provide them. And on that list is the Entertainment Software Association, the ESA.

The ESA is by no means the largest supporter, but unquestionably a dedicated one. One-fifth of their lobbying budget has paved support for these bills. Money talks in Washington, an unpleasant reality as too many elected officials listen more carefully to the MPAA and RIAA than their constituents. So by throwing nearly $200,000 toward the efforts of pushing PIPA and SOPA through Washington, they are directly part of the problem.

The ESA has over 30 members, and includes all console manufacturers and virtually all major publishers. Most of these members when questioned about SOPA and PIPA offer no comment, or only state that they defer their judgment to the ESA. They are the ESA, at least in part, so what sort of excuse is that? Companies like Nintendo, and Microsoft, and Capcom and Square Enix and Sega all determine the direction of the ESA’s efforts, and I’m sure if some of the bigger names on that list put their foot down and said, “We’re not to support SOPA or PIPA anymore,” Natsume and 505 Games wouldn’t be in much of a position to disagree.

Of course they won’t, since they stand to benefit greatly from it. But this is the key thing to remember: whether or not Sega, Nintendo, or any other company “doesn’t like” SOPA or PIPA doesn’t really matter, it’s what they do as a part of the ESA that matters. The video was cute, and wholly non-committal, and this is obviously an issue decided far above Sega’s community managers. But it’s an ugly subject to make light of, considering Sega refuses to openly state their position on SOPA and PIPA even now, but supports the bills through their actions anyway as a contributing member of the ESA.

It’s a list we want them to leave, but probably not one they can realistically leave, abandoning all control to their competitors. But instead of coming out as a dissenting voice against SOPA and PIPA, or even as a supporter that tries to explain their reasoning behind it, Sega Corporation refuses to comment on the matter as a whole. They want to sit back quietly, and try to avoid being listed as a supporter of what they know is an extremely unpopular bill, while still funding it through their lobbying arm. Sega aren’t the only ones doing this; there are plenty of other companies on that list that want the benefits SOPA and PIPA will provide them, without the negative effect of being labelled a supporter. Thus, “No comment,” and “We defer to the ESA.” A simple, shallow cry of “Don’t blame us!” But unless they take a stand against it, yes, they are to blame.

This post was originally written by the author for TSSZ News.

16 Comments

FIGHT THE POWER.

Nice trick with the mobile Wikipedia, by the way.

Technically regular Wikipedia is also accessible by disabling Javascript or using the Esc key while it loads, they’ve even said as much. It’s the spirit of the thing that matters. Not to mention catching the attention of the “TL, DNR” people who click the first thing that looks like an Ok or Dismiss button.

Here’s a response from Screwattack on SOPA/PIPA:

“Ask your favorite gaming websites and youtube channel to join the cause by not attending and covering E3 this year until the ESA changes their stance on SOPA and PIPA! If they truly apposed this legislation the last thing they want to do is support an entity that spent $190,000 on PIPA lobbying.”

Everyone, boycott E3 2012. Hit the ESA where it REALLY hurts.

If only people realized that the “stop piracy” guise is being use to mask one of the biggest threats to internet freedom ever

@QuietGuy92: The problem with that is IGN is owned by News Corp, and Rupert Murdoch’s such an avid supporter of SOPA and PIPA that he’s been rambling crazy things about their detractors on Twitter the past few days. So even if other major sites listened, IGN would still be running around E3, squealing “Exclusive!” and becoming the go-to site for people that don’t know or care about SOPA/PIPA.

@QuietGuy – How does not going to E3 2012 stop SOPA? E3 didn’t do anything, did they? Sorry, I’m a bit confused.

@Solus
Well, somebody’s gotta convince News Corp. that these bills are a HUGE threat to internet innovation. If News. Corp listens to that somebody, IGN won’t be able to attend/cover E3.

Sounds silly, I know but we can only hope.

@MetalMatrix88
E3 is the ESA’s biggest revenue. By convincing major gaming websites and youtube channels of not attending and covering E3 2012, there’ll be no revenue going to ESA and that, my friend, will make them listen.

Hope I cleared out the confusion.

@Quietguy92
I understand that certain companies have already committed to boycotting E3 after removing themselves from the ESA, so its already apparent that companies themselves are doing the same thing as the press is being pressured to do.

Unfortunately, the attention span of the internet public is so short that if the bill is defeated by the end of February, it may as well be a forgotten issue come E3, and the protest will be pointless and be “shooting a dead horse.” (Correct Idiom?). As much as I hate to admit, this circumstance may occur under the right conditions

Pingback: SOPA Protests are Happening – Here’s a few | TSSZ News

Tagline=WIN.

@Quietguy92 If what you say is true my friend…VERY EXCELLENT find sir… and really this article is very very true. These companies are sweating bullets now..cause the word is out on who stands where. I say make every one of them sweat more and harder. We mean business SENATORS & CONGRESS. This has got to drive the big wigs nuts that the word is out on them but not let us be prideful in that lets just make a splash in their comfy pools that we are ONE VOICE that equally speaks ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Destroy, annihilate those bills and don’t bring B$ like this to the table again.

Thanks QuietGuy 🙂

@MetalMatrix88
No problem. 🙂

@QuietGuy: As much as I would hate missing E3, that’s good. That is good. Of course, I’d rather not have to wait that long for a major protest, but if SOPA/PIPA passes, it will have to come to that.