DOPA Passes…
So the dopey House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed DOPA, and we’ve got to get our acts together to make sure Senators have more of a clue about what’s happening with technology out here in the “real” world. We wonder how many of them come even close to “getting” everything that’s shifting and changing, the way we are connecting, the learning that’s happening in social spaces, the fact that this bill takes away our ability to teach our students in meaningful, realistic ways not only how they can stay safe, but even more importantly, how they can learn, network, interact, and become continuous learners.
We’re really pissed at the media on a number of levels, first for the way they have sensationalized the whole MySpace issue into ratings by pumping up shows that “catch” online predators and stories that almost celebrate the ignorance of kids who aren’t being taught not to trust the people they meet online and to keep personal information private. They’ve preyed on the ignorance of the masses who really aren’t paying close attention and just scared them into thinking that there is danger at every turn, when in reality our kids are more at risk for sexual predation from their family members than online. And second, we’re mad at the media because of the utter, total lack of coverage this stupid bill has gotten. Here it is about 24 hours after the fact and there still is NOT ONE story on Google News that the bill actually passed. NOT ONE!
But why are we surprised? It’s politics. It’s fear-mongering.
It’s stupidity.
So now we’ve got to take this fight, really take this fight to our senators. We have no idea of the timeframe, but it’s going to be short, and are any among us optimistic?
Here is an article that we just got forwarded that gives a pretty clear indication of what’s next…
[Lobbying Group Criticizes Bill To Curb Networking Site Access – Heather Greenfield]
(This is an excerpted news piece describing ITAA’s criticism of DOPA, possible over-breadth, and concerns from the ALA. Content is kept as in the original, with pronouns adjusted where needed.)
About the author
Weblogg-ed Team — The Weblogg-ed Team is the collective byline behind our editorial coverage. We write about teaching, learning, and the institutions around them as technology and students keep moving faster than the systems built to serve them. Our work covers classroom practice, edtech and AI tools, online learning, homeschooling, digital literacy, and higher education, written for teachers, school leaders, parents, and lifelong learners who want clearer thinking than the press releases provide.
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