I am against SOPA but I am not turning this site off in protest. Why? Well, I am guessing very few would notice and I think discussing the topic is more productive at this point. Preventing access to this site will have no influence on how anything thinks about the issue.
I consider myself one of the “little guys”, but I do have an investment in the issue. It seems to me that the little guys are the ones who would be hurt. I do not intend to violate copyright. I do offer others the opportunity to add content to my site – that is the idea of the Participatory Web. I control a web site (I purchase server space) – many people do not. Part of the idea of a participatory web is to offer others the opportunity to share their ideas and content. My focus is on educators and the value of technology in education, but the group I am addressing is not the issue. I do offer others a way to have a voice.
Is it possible that someone could offer copyrighted materials using the resources I pay for? Sure. However, if this is a problem let me know – I will try to do something about it. It is very possible I would not know until you tell me. I can afford the server and I have attempted to take reasonable precautions – individuals need to provide an email address before they add content. This seems reasonable – contact me with specifics, I will contact the individual associated with the content you dispute.
There are comments on this issue everywhere – here is a suggested read for today – Joe Sestak on SOPA.
For and against analysis from PCWorld (from MacWorld site)