More SOPA Updates

It just keeps coming despite the impending holiday.

So le'ts get to my roundup.

  • GoDaddy isn't just being smacked, it seems they're being made an example of.  I don't know their future, but if you work there, you're probably going to want to keep an open mind on new employment – and remember being there may now tarnish you.  I haven't seen this level of hatred for awhile.
  • SOPA awareness is increasing all the time – and the GoDaddy thing fuels it.  Getting SOPA/PIPA through Congress is going to become next to impossible, though I do expect people to try.  Stay aware of this.
  • There are more holes in the "Pro-SOPA/PIPA" alliance than we thought and more are forming.  I'm also thinking this makes the US Chamber of Commerce look even worse – and they've been in political crosshairs for awhile for their positions and backing.  There may be further political fallout for them, and believe me they're not liked in some areas.
  • This has increased awareness of how the U.S. government functions – and doesn't.  It could become a catalyst or a bigger political issue.
  • Some companies took a beating in this (most noteably Google).  Now's a chance for a turnaround.  SOPA non-support could be a powerful political/marketing/reputational tool.
  • Despite SOPA support some companies are going to get forgiven pretty quickly, let's be honest about that.

Steven Savage

 

 

The Battlelines in SOPA Get Clearer

Looks like the whole SOPA mess is heating up, and we're seeing some pretty deep lines in the sand get drawn.  The list that came out

That single list has produced quite the reaction – and I doubt we're done yet.  Actually, I think it's probably tame as it's the holiday season.

So analysis

  • Of course keep following this.
  • A mass movement of domains out of GoDaddy could become serious since, well, GoDaddy pretty much handles domains.  They've had past controversies, but this could mark them in a destructive manner, especially if their support goes "meme" or inspires people to dig up dirt on them.  If you work there you'll want to watch this carefully as it may affect your job.
  • The GoDaddy issue may inspire other registrars to take sides (my guess is "not supporting SOPA" is a good bet).
  • We'll see more battleines be drawn I'm sure.  The awareness is increasing – as is the anger – and the list that was released gives people viable targets for their rage (especially if any of those companies were ones they hated beforehand).  The entire SOPA mess has "gone meme" – and it also means it won't go away even if SOPA goes away.
  • This is revealing something I've suspected for awhile but have had trouble articulating – there are some businesses for whom openeness/communication/freedom are built into their business model, and others where it's at best optional.  We're seeing a battle of approaches to business here (among many other things).  Hey, you economics writers could do a lot with this.

Steven Savage

Promoting Professional Geekery #17: Evangelize To A Professional Association

If you've read this blog for any length of time, or any of my books, you know I'm big on people joining professional associations.  They're great for networking, for keeping your skills up, and more.  They're de rigeur for any professional.

So I'm going to assume that you're joining one, have joined one, or are so seized with guilt after the above paragraph you're going to join one.

Now, when you are/if you are part of a professional association, you want to make sure they know about things from the geeky side of things.  They might not always know about the people who have a passion for the same subjects they do – but are coming at it from the fan/geek/otaku side.

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