We’re joining our friends at Reddit, Tumblr, Wikipedia, Boing Boing, and Google today in raising awareness of SOPA/PIPA legislation in the US Congress. These bills aim to change the very structure of the internet by allowing corporations and the US government to block access to domain names, and they circumvent the DMCA provisions that have made innovation possible on the web. This includes the Hype Machine, and we stand with the 1000+ tech companies, engineers, and public advocacy groups that have spoken out against the proposed laws.
A vote on PIPA is scheduled for January 24. Read Joi Ito’s great, concise explanation of why SOPA/PIPA must not be allowed to pass, sign the petition, call your representatives, and urge them not to censor the internet.
SOPA represents everything that is wrong with heavy-handed regulation. The internet is one of our last true bastions of liberty and freedom, and completely free from censorship. The U.S. government cannot regulate the internet. More importantly, the resources quite simply do not exist.
Two words: F**k SOPA.
-Shane w/ Earmilk
January 18, 2012 12:44 pm
no support to sopa
January 18, 2012 12:45 pm
SOPA and PIPA must fail
January 18, 2012 12:47 pm
I am 100% against SOPA and PIPA. I’m not even American or live in the US but these will both have a large negative impact on me and the rest of the world.
January 18, 2012 12:47 pm
yo guys BIG RESPECTS!!! on the website!!! at first i thought it was a bug but now i get it lol bigggg respectsss!!!! screen shots and links of this are all over my fbk and posting them on other djs sites and when i video dj next im gunna throw this up for a bit hahaha you guys rock!
January 18, 2012 12:48 pm
SOPA and PIPA are ill conceived and heavy handed. I do not support them.
January 18, 2012 12:51 pm
Thank you for joining the blackout! This minor inconvenience helps spread the word about this dangerous bill.
I LOVE HYPE M!
January 18, 2012 12:55 pm
I couldn’t imagine a world without free information. This is just another attempting to tap into a yet another money making resource.
Well fuck that!
January 18, 2012 12:59 pm
If SOPA comes to pass, there will be nothing worth while on the Internet. Literally no reason to use it at all. That’s how stupid this legislation is.
January 18, 2012 12:59 pm
Have already written to my local congressman on this matter.
January 18, 2012 12:59 pm
I live in Brazil and I would like to sign the petition, but I’m not being able because of the ZIP code. I want to help.
January 18, 2012 1:18 pm
stand up for your rights. speak up. email, write, call your local representatives. government is trying to control our freedom.
January 18, 2012 1:18 pm
SAY NO TO SOPA !!!
January 18, 2012 1:25 pm
I love HypeM for standing behind what we all believe in. Stop SOPA!
January 18, 2012 1:27 pm
Screwed. No one likes a jerk move. SOPA = Stardard Of Poor Attitudes. PIPA = Party Including Prissy Administrators. Thats pretty much all I got. Take that you turds. Call the reps. This can’t happen.
January 18, 2012 1:27 pm
I love you all!
January 18, 2012 1:29 pm
SOPA will ruin everything music blogs have done for the world of music. Please support this strike and kill the bill.
Ian w/ SkeetBeatz.com
January 18, 2012 1:30 pm
Keep up the good work, Hypemachine, fight the good fight.
January 18, 2012 1:30 pm
Big respects to hypem for trying to raise awareness about this issue.
I’m European, but I’ve been following this matter since November last year.
Since it will not only affect the US, but will have worldwide consequences.
For those complaining about hypem not working.
See it as a foreshadowing if Sopa or Pipa come to pass!
January 18, 2012 1:32 pm
Glad to see you guys have joined the fight. I heart hypem!
January 18, 2012 1:32 pm
Instead of posting worthless comments hypem why don’t you guys write an email to your congressman or call? do something about it.
January 18, 2012 1:36 pm
against it, oppose it, fight it, diminish it
January 18, 2012 1:36 pm
What can we do to make this stupid law stop?
January 18, 2012 1:36 pm
Wherever headquarters of the SOPA are, I WILL OCCUPY THEM!
January 18, 2012 1:40 pm
SOPA is wack. get rid of it. Love HYPEM
January 18, 2012 1:47 pm
Thats a declaration of war
January 18, 2012 1:48 pm
If this site disappeared I don’t know what I would do. I use it to find new and interesting music that I wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. Please for the love of music stop this bill ….
January 18, 2012 1:49 pm
SOPA </3 fucks up my wowgaming
January 18, 2012 2:11 pm
Can someone at hypem, google, tumblr or one of the other tech companies opposed to the proposed legislation, put up an easy to use list of state representatives & their contact info we can call and email right away.
just a thought.
January 18, 2012 2:11 pm
Obama said he would veto any kind of structural changes to the internet. thats a good sign
January 18, 2012 2:11 pm
How can non-Americans who will be affected by this legislation fight against it?
January 18, 2012 2:14 pm
NO TO THESE CRIMINAL INTENTIONS
January 18, 2012 2:16 pm
Support from France, keep up the fight !!
January 18, 2012 2:18 pm
my favorite webside LOve Music !! #notsopa
January 18, 2012 2:24 pm
que porqueria!!!
January 18, 2012 2:28 pm
Right on. I’m glad to see The Hype Machine joining today’s forceful demonstration against these un-American pieces of legislation. Fellow listeners, head to Wikipedia and use their tool to find your Congressperson’s contact info and let them know by e-mail or phone that you stand against SOPA (House version) and PIPA (Senate version).
January 18, 2012 2:30 pm
It’s all based on the backing of corperations who pay their “talent” millions, pay those guys less and you wont lose money.
January 18, 2012 2:31 pm
Yes!!! This is outrageous, we gotta fight this shit back!
January 18, 2012 2:44 pm
SOPA/PIPA c’est de la chiasse!
January 18, 2012 2:45 pm
FOR A FREE WORLD!
January 18, 2012 3:00 pm
appreciate you raising awareness, in style
January 18, 2012 3:03 pm
Couldn’t live without the Hype Machine. Down with SOPERS!
January 18, 2012 3:04 pm
agreed. cannot live without the hype machine
January 18, 2012 3:08 pm
Awesome blackout. Too bad nobody knows what to do with this information!
CALL YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES!
SIGN A PETITION!
STOP SOPA IN ITS TRACKS!
January 18, 2012 3:08 pm
well said Pooch…it’s so much more then what it appears to be
January 18, 2012 3:09 pm
Sign the petition!
January 18, 2012 3:20 pm
Nobody owns the internet
January 18, 2012 3:24 pm
super creative and cool way to raise awareness of the bills… !! i love hypem even more for this move
January 18, 2012 3:25 pm
These bills set a very dangerous precedent for all of us down the road. Everyone who cares at all about their freedoms should call their congressional representatives and tell them not to vote on this bill if they value re-election.
January 18, 2012 3:27 pm
Don’t take our music from us!
Stop SOPA!
January 18, 2012 3:29 pm
Thank you for joining the fight hypem. Today’s blackout is really going to show the average person how bad our favourite sites can and will be affected by SOPA/PIPA if they are passed
January 18, 2012 3:33 pm
SOPA/PIPA no thanks.
January 18, 2012 3:34 pm
The Internet community is an example of the goals we can achieve together, we’ll make it happen, NO SOPA, Internet is freedom.
January 18, 2012 3:40 pm
sopa / pipa no thank ya
January 18, 2012 3:40 pm
Go to wikipedia, they can take your zip code and give you all your representative’s twitter id’s. Let them know you want what little freedom we have left, and you want representation!
January 18, 2012 3:41 pm
We do not want to move back in time. The SOPA/PIPA movement is setting in restrictions that will clearly restrict our online growth. Look at all we have achieved since the inception of the Internet. Let’s not turn back time.
Fight back.
January 18, 2012 3:46 pm
Ahhh! I knew Reddit would be out, but now HM? Yeah… not digging these limits. I can only hope the men WE ELECTED in congress make the right decision.
January 18, 2012 3:51 pm
YES! I Love you even more knowing that you are against SOPA/PIPA! Any ass against it is just a spoil’t little bitch that can’t live without internetz or music for a day. GROW A SET AND LEARN TO STAND UP FOR YOUR DAMN FREEDOMS!
January 18, 2012 3:54 pm
Way to support the blackout! Eff SOPA/PIPA! all this legislation is, is a step toward the big brother. the governments need to regulate anything and everything. SUPPORT BLACKOUT and Fight Back.
January 18, 2012 3:56 pm
Fucka you soap !
January 18, 2012 4:00 pm
Fuckin auto spell!
January 18, 2012 4:00 pm
This policy shift will negatively impact the creativity and freedom of current and future generations in a profound way. Please do not pass SOPA/PIPA.
Father to be,
Aaron.
January 18, 2012 4:09 pm
This legislation cannot be allowed to go through, call your senators and make sure they know what we want them to do, post to your friends and make sure they are aware of what is going on. This will effect everyone if it is allowed to pass. The vote is on January 24th 2012
January 18, 2012 4:10 pm
haha, take away their freedom (NDAA) Sit still, no wories. Take away their source of free entertainment aka the internet. Rage and panic, you americans are the best… /sarcasm
January 18, 2012 4:19 pm
If this passes this is the end of the FREE internet as we know it. It’s the end of open communication and sharing. It’s the end of an era. Please don’t pass SOPA!!
January 18, 2012 4:21 pm
Wow. You’ve only been down for a few hours and I’m already missing you. 🙁
You should unblock us Canadians. We have nothing to do with SOPA. 🙂
All the best.
January 18, 2012 4:38 pm
Great to see Citizen action. Please call your Congressmen today!
January 18, 2012 4:39 pm
The Only sopa I like is Sopa de Fideo or Sopa de Clam Chowder.
NO SOPA, NO!
January 18, 2012 4:39 pm
It would be great if all the people on here would have articulated their thoughts about SOPA/PIPA without all that cursing; it kind of makes us sound like a bunch of juveniles. However, I agree and I disapprove of SOPA. The Internet is currently a source of unlimited inspiration and passing this law will stagnate the growth of the US nation and, ultimately, the entire world. What kind of leaders wish for the stagnation of their nation? PLEASE VOTE THEM OUT NEXT ELECTION, AMERICANS!
And way to go all, for protesting censorship!!
January 18, 2012 4:40 pm
SOPA/PIPA is going to ruin the freedom of the internet as we know it!!! I hope that the major websites come together and make a large stand or blackout text like you have. seeing a google search return nothing but black text on the screen would be extremely impacting to anyone viewing. This is just another effort put in place by the government to mass control the society and maintain a system that is evolving faster then them!!!!
January 18, 2012 4:52 pm
SOPA/PIPA will fail.
January 18, 2012 5:06 pm
SOPA will hurt the efforts of many but in particular musicians like the ones on hype machine who are trying to make a name for themselves in this wonderful corner of the internet. I use hype machine daily in order to find new and exciting music from up and coming artists, and without this site… I dont know what I would do! as a writer for independent music, not only would SOPA hurt musicians, but me as well! people’s lives and livelihoods depend on the free/un-moderated use of the internet… FUCK SOPA!
January 18, 2012 5:12 pm
Aside from porn this the only other site I like…. please dear internet gods, don’t take this away!
January 18, 2012 5:19 pm
Full support to the Internet freedom !
January 18, 2012 5:25 pm
Emailed my congressmen/women!! This is blasphemy!
January 18, 2012 5:28 pm
I live half way around the globe, in Australia, and I do NOT see why US congress should impinge upon my civil liberties here.
January 18, 2012 5:58 pm
It is all good socking it to these a holes but the way your handling your website (hypem.com) is lame and inappropriate. Surely there are ways of getting the point across without pissing off customers.
January 18, 2012 5:59 pm
These comments contain so much poor grammar and bad spelling. It almost makes me wish SOPA/PIPA would pass so people would stop using the internet and read more books.
My own comment aside, if SOPA passes, the most important reason the internet exists would go away. That reason of course is free pornography. And with no free pornography, there is no internet.
Just think about what’s important. Stop SOPA/PIPA and similar legislation in your country.
January 18, 2012 5:59 pm
Thank you HypeM for supporting this blackout!
January 18, 2012 6:12 pm
We should invade America
January 18, 2012 6:29 pm
Devastating! Say No to SOPA and PIPA
January 18, 2012 6:52 pm
this website is my life. I go on it everyday to get music. DO NOT TOUCH THIS SITE
January 18, 2012 7:07 pm
Way to go HypeM. Fight the power, join arms and defeat this attack on the internet as we know it. Stay strong.
January 18, 2012 7:20 pm
i hope sopa/pipa fail
January 18, 2012 7:33 pm
Hypem is an incredible marketing tool that has exposed many of us to indie artists who we would have otherwise, not discovered. This website is my source for discovering music that is, unfortunately, not mainstream in the US.
To “Hater”- you’re the “piece of shit”, clearly. Stereotyping every American? Who do you think YOU are? Open your mind. Ignorance.
January 18, 2012 7:42 pm
Hype Machine helped save and change my life. The way i looked at music, opening doors to new sources of music i was-at the time-unaware of. One of the coolest people i’ve ever met is a tech for hypem. The most respect out to you guys, and screw these suits who are trying to shut you down!
January 18, 2012 7:46 pm
I love hype machine
January 18, 2012 7:50 pm
LONG LIVE HYPE MACHINE !!!!!!
January 18, 2012 8:34 pm
Hype against the machine, but not my hype machine!
January 18, 2012 8:42 pm
hype machine > SOPA
January 18, 2012 8:46 pm
Hey everyone, if you’re American and LOOKING TO FIGHT THE SOPA/PIPA :
Go to Wikipedia, the English version (which is blacked out just as HypeM is), and it will re-direct you to a page where you can type in your zip code to find representatives in your area.
As for non-americans, i’m really sorry, I wish I knew a way for you to help. But keep looking, there might be a way !
Fight For Freedom ! <3
January 18, 2012 9:06 pm
SOPA denounces the very thing our country is built on, FREEDOM
January 18, 2012 9:13 pm
SOPA must not be allowed to be passed!
January 18, 2012 9:30 pm
Hypem must live forever, this site contains great information and its kind a tool for the communication between worlds. And let people arrange his favorite songs. Dont close it, let the internet live. Long life for the E + Hypem
January 18, 2012 9:38 pm
CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND TELL HIM VOTE NO. DO IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS AGAINT OUR RIGHTS, DAMN THE MAN!
January 18, 2012 9:56 pm
hypem is an amazing creation that started with the work of many creative and intelligent people who had a dream, a goal. Hypem is an inspirational way for people to get their music known, a way to express their talents. thank you SOPA for trying to destroy that and crushing the dreams of many optimistic people. we are not impressed.
January 18, 2012 9:57 pm
“Those who make peaceful protest impossible make violent protest inevitable.” – JFK
January 18, 2012 10:30 pm
DROP SOPA SO WE CAN DROP BEATS
January 18, 2012 10:39 pm
This is me showing my support. SOPA and PIPA must be stopped. This will greatly decrease our welfare and slow economic growth. This regulation is far too strict and will do much more bad than good.
January 18, 2012 10:40 pm
Not only in the states… but AUS too! This blows!
January 18, 2012 10:49 pm
SOPA and PIPA must fail! I DO NOT SUPPORT EITHER OF THE TWO.
January 18, 2012 11:14 pm
No a la Ley Sopa
January 18, 2012 11:17 pm
Hey guys of Hypem! GREAT WORK joining the Blackout to #StopSOPA.
The internetz lol belong to us the people, not to greedy corporations!
xx
Luv, laurie
January 18, 2012 11:34 pm
Please don’t censor the web. Once you start you won’t know to what extent it can be misruled or unconstitutionally censored. It will take away from my understanding of the world and its people, culture, and creativity.
January 18, 2012 11:43 pm
SAY NO TO SOPA!
January 18, 2012 11:50 pm
DON’T LET THE GOVERNMENT TAKE YOUR FREEDOM AWAY!!!!
January 19, 2012 12:00 am
What can I do as one Canadian to make any sort of a difference in this fight? Sopa hurts us all!
January 19, 2012 12:05 am
No mas SOPA es irracional y poco convincente limita nuestra libertad!!!
STOP SOPA !!! SOPA Slow down our freedom and growth!!
January 19, 2012 12:05 am
If you havent signed the petition to stop SOPA. Sign it now!!!
http://avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet/?fp
January 19, 2012 12:10 am
This bill proves that Washington does not understand the internet or the future of commerce. Please don’t embarrass the US government and bring us that much closer to the policies of China and Iran…please.
January 19, 2012 12:17 am
NO TO SOPA!!! YES TO FREEDOM!!!
January 19, 2012 11:33 am
SOPA and PIPA will basically destroy the internet as we know it. Censoring the internet will not stop piracy, but it will destroy a whole lot more.
January 22, 2012 7:09 am
FUCK SOPA AND PIPA!!!
January 23, 2012 4:43 pm
SOPA? PIPA? Come on, go home!
February 6, 2012 3:59 pm
The fact that the government can be lobbied by cash stuffed corporations in the first place is what’s wrong with our world. Furthermore the point to remove public forum in it’s most raw sense; ie the internet is for Control and their own self preservation.
I truly believe our(any) government should be internet based, allow voting to commence online and get TRUE results from a real audience.
Boycott the Giants, watch them fall.
Peace and Love folks.
February 24, 2012 3:22 pm