wikipedia

MPAA blasts 'dangerous' anti-SOPA blackouts as 'stunts'

Anti-SOPA blackouts planned for tomorrow by sites like Wikipedia, Boing Boing, Reddit, and others are "stunts" that are "dangerous and troubling," Hollywood's chief lobbyist said.

In a statement issued today (PDF), MPAA chairman and CEO--and former U.S. Senator--Chris Dodd railed against the blackouts, calling them "an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on [the sites] for information and [who] use their services."

Dodd also said that the blackouts are "an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today. It's a dangerous and … Read more

How to access Wikipedia during its SOPA blackout

When Jimmy Wales announced that Wikipedia will go black tomorrow in the United States in solidarity with the anti-SOPA protest movement, it was not a decision taken lightly. It might have even surprised many who thought the popular free encyclopedia Wales founded would be adopting a less stark way of protesting the Draconian copyright act. (See CNET's FAQ on SOPA.)

After all, Wikipedia is one of the most popular Web sites in the world, and a major source of information for millions of people.

But fret not. Thanks to some clever advice from Andrew Lih, the author of The Wikipedia Revolution, … Read more

Google will protest SOPA using popular home page

The tech sector is pulling out the big guns.

Google, the Web's top search company and one of technology's most influential powers in Washington, will post a link on its home page tomorrow to notify users of Google's opposition to controversial antipiracy bills being debated in Congress.

The company confirmed in a statement that it will join Wikipedia, Reddit, and other influential tech firms in staging protests of varying kinds against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA), which are backed by big entertainment and media interests. (Read a roundup of our SOPA … Read more

Twitter shutting down for SOPA? That's just 'foolish,' CEO says

All the controversy surrounding the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) has hit a tipping point, with Wikipedia saying it'll go dark for 24 hours in protest. But don't expect Twitter to follow suit.

"That's just silly," Twitter CEO Dick Costolo tweeted in response to Radar reporter Alex Howard wondering if the microblogging service will also go dark over SOPA. "Closing a global business in reaction to single-issue national politics is foolish."

Costolo went on to say that "not shutting down a service doesn't equal not taking the proper stance on an … Read more

Wikipedia to join Web blackout protesting SOPA

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has decided to shut down his site on Wednesday to protest SOPA.

Calling it a "decision of the Wikipedia community," Wales said he plans to join other Web sites in ceasing operations to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act, a controversial antipiracy bill being debated in Congress. "Final details under consideration but consensus seems to be for 'full' rather than 'soft' blackout!"

Last week, the news site Reddit announced it would shut down for 12 hours on Wednesday to express its displeasure with SOPA and Protect IP, its Senate sister. Other sites, … Read more

Wikipedia considering joining SOPA blackout protest

Count Wikipedia among the growing number of sites that are likely to take action against SOPA.

As anger towards the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act grows, more and more people and organizations are joining the fight against the bipartisan Congressional legislation. (See CNET's FAQ on SOPA.)

Earlier this week, the news site Reddit announced it would shut down for 12 hours on January 18 in a bid to make its displeasure known about SOPA and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act. And now, there are strong signs that Wikipedia may express its community's protest sentiment, although it'… Read more

How to get quick info in Firefox without leaving your tab

For many of us, the Web is a great research and learning tool.

It can be hard to make the most of it, though, as when we encounter an unfamiliar term or a concept that we want to follow up on, it can be a pain to navigate away from our tab. QuickWiki is a great extension for Firefox that makes it easy to stay focused, letting you right-click any word or phrase to bring up a definition from Wiktionary or an entry from Wikipedia. Here's how to use it:

Install the QuickWiki extension. The next time you spot … Read more

Italian-language Wikipedia hidden, may shut down

In a message it posted today, Wikipedia said it has hidden the Italian-language portion of the site due to a new law proposed by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's administration. According to the message, the site section will remain hidden while the law is being debated in Italian parliament and could face permanent deletion, if the law is passed. The Italian front page of the open encyclopedia is currently being redirected to the same message in Italian.

The law, called "DDL intercettazioni" (Wiretapping Act), provides "a requirement to all Web sites to publish, within 48 hours of … Read more

Five clever ways to trick out Wikipedia

Wikipedia has moved past its controversial beginnings to become an established, even respected, free source of information for everyone. It's pretty easy to use, but as with all things, we'd like it to be even easier. Here are a few tricks and extensions that can help make you the best informed person in your network: 

It's no secret that I love the Chrome browser, and the  Wikipedia Companion extension is a great example of why it's earned its place in my heart. It's dead-simple-- just install it here and then click … Read more