Under a new bill in Congress, the President would have the power to shut down the internet for up to 4 months in the event of an emergency. We note in this article that it is our view that no such bill is necessary and that the President could simply issue an executive order to do the same.
It looks like neither the bill or the executive order would be required to take action to shut down elements of the internet, as it is clear that traditional government intimidation will suffice to completely shut down large web hosting servers if the powers that be deem it necessary and put pressure on the internet service providers. According to the news site TorrentFreak, the government has moved to completely shut down all web sites hosted on the WordPress hosting platform Blogetry.
Although details are still very tentative, here’s what we know: Blogeter’s entire site has been taken down, and the company’s ISP is claiming that they had to terminate Blogetery’s account immediately after being ordered to do so by law enforcement officials, due to material hosted on the server.
This was not a typical case, in which suspension and notification would be the norm, Blogetery’s ISP said. This was a critical matter brought to our attention by law enforcement officials. We had to immediately remove the server.
Although TorrentFreak speculates that this is part of a recent Homeland Security effort to take down file sharing sites, that doesn’t quite make sense: surely in that case Blogetery would have been asked to pull specific infringing blogs, not have the rug yanked out from under them.
No, the extreme response taken here by U.S. Authorities implies some sort of believed terrorist connection or child pornography ring, not just a handful of warez and MP3 blogs. Even so, though, unless Blogetery itself is suspect of harboring terrorists or child pornographers, it’s hard to condone this sort of extreme action that has instantly silenced over 73,000 users, the majority of whom are doubtlessly innocent of any wrong-doing.
The government, because of the actions of a few, has essentially ignored first amendment protections and punished citizens who are completely innocent of any wrong-doing.
The criminal web sites in question were hosted on Blogetry and were reportedly engaged in piracy of MP3 audio files, software applications and pornography. Rather than specifically shutting down these web sites, the government moved to eliminate 73,000 WordPress blogs that had absolutely no association with criminal activity.
This is akin to the federal agents raiding an entire neighborhood belonging to the same home owners association because one or two of the residents are suspected of dealing drugs.
It’s absolutely ridiculous on its face.
Can we blame Burstnet (Blogetry’s ISP) for immediately responding to government shut down requests? Perhaps. But, the fact that the government has unlimited resources probably scared Burstnet management into taking action against Blogetry, regardless of guilt or innocence. Most businesses, especially once they’re in the government’s sights, would buckle when faced with an unrelenting bureaucracy that could lock up their ability to make a living for weeks, months or years.
While Burstnet is an easy target for our criticism, the blame for the failure of due process under the law lies squarely on the shoulders of the US government.
This is a sign of the times to come and shows how easily elements of the internet can be shut down for any reason.
Hat tip Wheedle
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Hoax and Chains!!!
If you read TFA, the blogetry owner was providing free blog hosting (supported with Google adsense). He had received take down orders previously for material his customers had posted (and he took the material down). Then he had his server pulled due to a law enforcement order. This means either the MPAA or RIAA got him flagged as a multiple abuser, or some free “customer” of his was posting child porn, or other federally illegal content. If you read further into this, the site operator did not have a backup of this content, which makes him a complete bozo: he doesn’t even know what data might have been in his database that would have caused this. His ignorance of what his free users post on his domain is no defense of his hosting material that can get him into trouble. If this resulted in a violation of his Terms of Service with his internet host, Burstnet, they are completely in their rights to take down access to his server to limit any liability they might incur for being party to hosting such material.
While this topic generally ought to scare the crap out of anyone interested in free speech, it looks to be a case of a bonehead site operator who thinks he isn’t ultimately responsible for content people could freely post on his service. I’m glad I read TFA because it seems less of a free speech threat than it appeared to be on the surface.
Hooray, that will show those illegal song and movie down loaders a thing or two. Shut down those porn sites.
While they at it get rid of all those religious sites too. They are just inflaming everyone . Then they can go after all those other sites that think free speech is a right. Might as well add those pesky sites that think the constitution is still relevant in todays society.And they can delete all of that rap crap.
hey,I just lost my connection what the hell is going on with the internet ?
The collapse is coming maybe more sooner than later? We have fiancial and economy problems, job situation is getting worse,More Taxation coming , Federalize police force and soon to me more pileing on of Unconstitutional Laws .civil unrest is coming and they hav ebeen bustt prepareing for that with National guard troops being called up for special traing along with Un troops . The grid is starting to tighten,All we need is that one big Event and they can plunge this baby down our throats . Sweeping changes will be occuring soon .
then they will go for you guns ?How? Easy ,a few more years of no jobs, no manufacuring and millions more homeless with kids, they will be totally dependant on Government .you want this simple little trailure and food voichers and healthcare and schooling for your kids dont you or do you want to be like those over there, homless, hungry , sick kids,,begging, look at ehre clothes nothing but rags, missearble way to spend ones life, all you have todo is give us your guns and ammos.for every gun , we wil give you 1000 dollars working or not,.for every box of ammo you turn in, wewill give you 50 bucks or our choice of exytra food vouchers and maybe even some beer and alcohol . Why do you need those guns any moere? We have armed gurads protecting the trailurs and we wil provide for all you needs and we will even give you a simple basic wage and work in our plants and mines .  Be senceable and dont rsit -dont fight and cause hardship and go against the 10 commandments of thou shall not kill,obey your Government and enjoy a long life .
Ha! I loved that quote. Gave me a good laugh:
“obey your government and enjoy a long life.”
Thats a good one! Funny stuff!
You can make a big difference right now by not shopping at the grocery store anymore. Â You can go to your local farmers market, pay about the same price, and get real food, not contaminated with GMO’s, and not grown with Monsanto seeds.
I’ve decided that if these assholes are for real going to take over the world, then they’re gonna do it WITHOUT MY MONEY. Â Go out and get to know your local farmer. Â Do you even know what a REAL “farm fresh” egg tastes like? Â Download the GMO free shopping list and stop giving your money to the dicklips motherfuckers who are crashing the USA into oblivion.
I posted a naked pic of Opera on Blogetry and made half a million people vomit. Do you think that might have something to do with it ?
They should shut down the Whitehouse.gov website so Barry Soetoro can’t use it as a propaganda tool to indoctinate his ever declining number of supporters, AKA the liberal dumb asses.  Â
Hey Johnny! How about a link for the GMOF shopping list!!!
I’d be real interested in that.
Comments…..Hey PR, why do you refer to B.H.O as “Barry Soetoro”.
I’m living a sheltered life here in Oz but I really do want to understand and contribute to the discussion.
And as far as a nude picture of Opera is concerned,
no, No, NO, I do have SOME principles!
And if you don’t like those, I have some others!
Let’s face it,the net is where we can find the truth,it cannot be found on “the electric Jew ” (TV),so the net is where these creeps like senator Lieberman who has dual citizenship with Israel will focus their efforts to “cap” it with his internet kill switch that he’s pushing, along with just about every “patriot” act & law that he has sponsored which are designed to kill our liberties.
The biggest threat to our liberties is a group who has an allegiance to a foreign nation determining what policies we have,
while they cry “anti-Semite!” or “bigot!’ to those that notice it and want it stopped.
By the way,I don’t think there will be some midnight snap and the next morning we’ll be in Mad Max,it will be over some years and you won’t realize it until you’re unemployed and living in a trailer.