Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers Download Illegal Files

December 28, 2011 -

While lawmakers are arguing over SOPA and Protect IP - two bills that could change the way the Internet works in order to fight piracy - it seems that many staffers on Capitol Hill are spending a lot of time downloading movies, TV shows, music, games and books via BitTorrent. According to a report from TorrentFreak over 800 IP's that originate from Capitol Hill are at the BitTorrent trough, even as they write laws against illegal downloading and file-sharing.

Using YouHaveDownloaded.com, TorrentFreak has found that over 800 downloads that show everything from adult self-help books to TV shows and movies being snapped up and shared.

They only list a few of the 800 hits they found on YouHaveDownloaded, which represents only a fraction of the total downloads coming from that location since the site only tracks a limited percentage of total BitTorrent traffic. As TorrentFreak points , out "this is real and confirmed data that is just as good as the evidence used by the RIAA when they sued tens of thousands of people for file-sharing."

You can check out the list of downloads by visiting TorrentFreak. Once again those that support these kinds of laws seem to believe in the old adage "do as I say, and not as I do." We say, don't ruin the Internet and we won't point out your hypocrisy.

Comments

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by ddrfr33k on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 13:36.

Ah, delicious irony.  It's just like cake!

Treasure bin: Cult Hits, chea pass gaming options, and rants about gaming in general

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by RedMage on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 13:05.

Good to see that nepotism is alive and well in this country.

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by Overcast on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 12:02.

So if they are using torrent - that means they are 'making available' Torrent data too - after all; that's how Torrent works.

Meaning - at some point, the DOJ will have to block itself, right? lol

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by Mr. Stodern on Wed, 12/28/2011 - 23:20.

Lawmakers not obeying the very legislation they wrote an supported? Surely you jest.

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by Craig R. on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 14:27.

Just wait until we see all of the exemptions that will be written into this for lawmakers and corporations.

The obvious thing to do if (perish the thought) SOPA passes would be to report all violations by all congresscritters and major corporations using these kinds of data lists. After all, such 'evidence' is good enough for a MPAA or RIAA lawsuit.

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by Mr. Stodern on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 00:05.

SOPA's passing will result in a complete and utter (figurative) bloodbath. Everyone who opposes it is going to be trying to nail hypocrites in Washington for breaking it, while pretty much the entire internet gets blocked off for American users and every business reliant on it for revenue goes fucking bankrupt. Unless they find some loophole, which lawmakers will scramble to close.

SOPA, if it passes, is going to be the new prohibition.

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 11:31.

Makes me wonder if some politicians have a vested interest in seeing some online businesses go down.

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by DorthLous on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 13:14.

Or, you know, the internet itself, as a few comments by content providers seem to point to.

Re: Epic Fail: Lawmakers Support SOPA While Staffers ...

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 13:44.

Too true, at the least they seem to have an interest in being able to shut down their opponent's website so any reason the see fit.

 
Forgot your password?
Username :
Password :

Shout box

You're not permitted to post shouts.
Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am
Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm
Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm
Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm
Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm
Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm
Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm
Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm
Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm
ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm
MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm
Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm
MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am
Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am
quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm
Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm
Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm
Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm
All shouts
 

Be Heard - Contact Your Politician