By Kelly Faircloth 7/20/12 8:15am

SOPA Opera

Internet Defense League: Assemble.

Look, Up In the Sky! Internet League Launches with its Very Own Cat Signal and a Big Party

Last night, Betabeat checked ourselves in with a nebbishy man holding an iPad, rode the elevator up to “PH” with another nebbishy man (a copy of The Leaderless Revolution tucked under his arm) and arrived upstairs at the Internet Defense League‘s New York launch party, just as the OpenPlans roofdeck was beginning to fill up.

It was one of those rooftops that aren’t quite at the top of the world–in fact, we could see the tealights of another party happening several stories up, right next door–but rather one of those that leave you hovering smack in the middle of the skyline, feeling pleasantly loomed-over. Read More

By Jessica Roy 4:44pm

Internet Wants to Be Free

Senator O'Mara (nysenate.gov)

New York Politicians Move to Ban Anonymous Commenting

This should go over well with our tech-obsessed mayor. A piece of legislation proposed in both New York state houses seeks to ban anonymous commenting from New York-based websites.

As a person who writes on the Internet, this sounds amazing! How about a name to go with that thoughtless feedback, Mr. Not So Nice Guy? Of course, as a proponent of the First Amendment, we would like to tell Senator Thomas O’Mara where he can put this bill. Anonymously, of course. Read More

By Jessica Roy 5/17/12 5:00pm

Internet Wants to Be Free

Brian Roberts, CEO of Comcast (uphs.upenn.edu)

Comcast to Try Charging for Internet Based on Usage

Do you spend a lot of time on the Internet? Yeah, us either. Haha, kidding, we are literally never not on the Internet. This reporter sleeps with her phone beside her pillow, and only shuts her Macbook when that screen glare-induced headache starts to set in. We stream and download music and videos and read tons and tons of news stories. The only reason we’re not broke is because our Verizon mobile unlimited data plan was grandfathered in. All of this is is why the news that Comcast will begin testing charging for Internet based on how much you use it is kind of the worse. Read More

By Ben Popper 11/16/11 6:45am

SOPA Opera

Not a fan of censorship. Who knew!

Eric Schmidt Is No Fan of Censorship, Rips SOPA Act

It’s finally here! American Censorship Day is in full swing, with sites like AVC and upstart search engine DuckDuckGo censoring their banners in protest of the proposed anti-piracy bills going before a Congressional hearing. Yesterday the titans of the internet sent a letter to Coongress opposing the new SOPA bill. Sadly none of them have joined the American Censorship day movement. But luckily tech’s best big mouth, Eric Schmidt, got a few choice words in.

Back when he was CEO of Google, Mr. Schmidt was always getting into trouble for saying wild, borderline creepy stuff. But now that he is executive chairman, the man can finally let it rip without being the final word from Google. As Reuters reports, auring an appearance yesterday at MIT, Mr. Schmidt declared, “”The solutions are draconian. There’s a bill that would require (internet service providers) to remove URLs from the Web, which is also known as censorship last time I checked.” Read More

By Guest Post 10/04/11 7:44am

Occupy Wall Street

The Internet Committee at Occupy Wall Street

Occupy Wall Street’s Web Team Finds Anarchy Ain’t Easy

This is a guest post from Melissa Gira Grant.

***

“Hi, everyone. I’m Drew. With the Internet.”

It’s midway through the General Assembly down at Occupy Wall Street. Radiohead failed to show up and overrun the revolution, but the park is still packed. Two rows of people behind me echo Drew’s words – “with the internet” – serving as a human mic, as cops have forbidden the protestors the use of amplified sound. Liberty Plaza is allowed a generator, which runs the laptop and webcam that’s livestreaming the Assembly.

Now that he’s been introduced, Drew continues for us and the cameras, pausing after each few words to give the human mic a chance to keep up: “Right now. Our website. Is having some problems. If you know how to fix those kinds of things. Come find me. After the GA.” The General Assembly crowd is thick, and as soon as he’s done speaking, Drew is lost within it. One night he gives his report back on the Internet Committee while wearing a hideous holiday-inspired sweater, so he’s easier for potential volunteers to spot.

For a protest movement born of the internet, Occupy Wall Street’s technical situation is at times precarious. Read More