The coming P.I.P.A. act- How will it affect HSN and its affiliates?

[Maxus Dominus]

http://lawandequity.com/2011/06/28/the-protect-ip-act-big-brothers-nickname-is-pipa/

Does anyone have any thoughts about how this new law coming soon will affect us HSN affiliates?
What does it say, in layman's language? Are HSN affiliates considered rogue by those states that
classify Tramadol as a controlled substance? Will we get sued by drug companies for using their
copyrighted drug names on our sites? Are we going to lose more payment methods, like Visa, due
to pressure from PIPA and LS related issues? I know HSN tries to follow the law as much as possible,
but this new PIPA law may affect us in unanticipated ways and I'm a bit(no, a lot) worried about it.
I just get started in this business and PIPA and the LegitScript crusade come along. Damn!
But on the positive side, if any network of affiliates can get us through all this, it's HSN.
Maxus

[noprescriptionpharmacy]

Have you read the bill?!?!? It is not against online pharmacies it is for intellectual rights! READ IT! :mad:

If you are with HSN don't worry about it cause they only sell generics that are allowed in the U.S., the problem is when you sell a generic medicine that is still protected by a patent in the U.S., than you are infringing copyright laws.

Tramadol is controlled in some States and in those States HSN doesn't ship it, so they are fulfilling the law! READ THE DEA SCHEDULING, use google!!! :mad:

HSN is considered as unapproved by LS, not rogue, so don't worry about it. It is one of the few if not the only U.S. based affiliate program that is unapproved and not rogue!!!

[Maxus Dominus]

OK, I feel better about the PIPA issue, thanks again, NPP. But I'm still concerned with the crusade that
LegitScript is on. If our payment methods are adversely affected, watch out. A very big one, Visa, is
gone for some of the most popular products. That was a big blow. I go and read some of these
buyer forums and I can see we are losing a lot of business because they can't use their Visa card.
I don't want to sound so negative about all this but I'm just looking for other affiliates take on these
possible threats to our business- to our money. Thanks again for giving me yours. Please continue to.

[vij]

Brave comments by Google Boss. Ofcourse all they can do is keep the search results. They can do nothin about DNS blocks.


If it’s a request the answer is we wouldn’t do it


if it’s a discussion we wouldn’t do it.


Even if it’s passed by both houses of congress and signed by the president of the United States and we disagree with it then we would still fight it

http://paidcontent.co.uk/article/419-google-boss-anti-piracy-law-would-be-disaster-for-free-speech/

I still feel its some time away. Pretty sure it will be struck down for some ammendment and then the bill has to pass again and by the time the law is enforced it will be atleast 6months - 1 year. Atleast I hope so.

[noprescriptionpharmacy]

I still feel its some time away. Pretty sure it will be struck down for some ammendment and then the bill has to pass again and by the time the law is enforced it will be atleast 6months - 1 year. Atleast I hope so.

COICA never passed and the domain seizing happened anyways. If you are selling non-approved generics to the U.S. I would worry anyways.

There is an important thing you need to take into consideration, we are only a drop in the ocean... If the prosecutors have some common sense they'll first go after the thousands of sites selling controlled drugs and that is going to take some time, but I don't know how much common sense they have... lol...

So don't worry too much about your sites, worry about the affiliate programs! Cause you can keep your sites online one way or the other but there is no point if no one is processing your orders.

[vij]

COICA never passed and the domain seizing happened anyways. If you are selling non-approved generics to the U.S. I would worry anyways.

There is an important thing you need to take into consideration, we are only a drop in the ocean... If the prosecutors have some common sense they'll first go after the thousands of sites selling controlled drugs and that is going to take some time, but I don't know how much common sense they have... lol...

So don't worry too much about your sites, worry about the affiliate programs! Cause you can keep your sites online one way or the other but there is no point if no one is processing your orders.

Domain seizing happened before, but once its a law it gets to a different level.

You are right. If they strike out all stores, no point in keeping the so called information/gateway sites even if they stay out of the net.

[Maxus Dominus]

I'm checking this thread twice a day. If anyone hears of any developments regarding PIPA or
the LegitScript crusade, please post it here. These issues are so dang important to this
industry, and we need to stay on top of it all, so we can plan. HSN lost another state this
week - Mississippi, in which to ship the most popular pain medications. But there remains
many really good states left. I'm optimistic, but concerned.
Maxus D

[noprescriptionpharmacy]

I don't think that anyone here is a U.S. Senator that can provide any other information than what you will find online. If you are so worried create a Google Email Alert with all the keywords related to PIPA!

Whenever an affiliate program chooses to stop offering or shipping a medicine it only means that they are keeping up to the date with the laws and that is a great thing. It means they are in it for the long run and don't want to risk anything. So be happy you are using a program that tries to be as legal as it can be!

If you are so worried get out of this industry cause you won't sleep at night. Read the Ryan haight act, PIPA, CTEL regulations and do your own research to make up your mind, or hire a lawyer!

If you are with HSN STOP WORRYING ABOUT PIPA, if you read the bill you'll understand that you have nothing to worry about! The people that should be worried are the ones selling NON-FDA approved drugs! As far as what I've read in the bill HSN complies with PIPA! READ THE Fu..ing BILL and all the other laws related to online pharmacies, make up your mind, don't be lazy!

BTW have you at least registered your domains with an offshore registrar? IF you are with Godady or any other U.S. registrar transfer your domains ASAP!


I'm checking this thread twice a day. If anyone hears of any developments regarding PIPA or
the LegitScript crusade, please post it here. These issues are so dang important to this
industry, and we need to stay on top of it all, so we can plan. HSN lost another state this
week - Mississippi, in which to ship the most popular pain medications. But there remains
many really good states left. I'm optimistic, but concerned.
Maxus D

[Maxus Dominus]

NPP, I started this thread to get other affiliates thoughts on these issues. I now have yours, loud &
clear. But I also want to hear other perspectives/angles etc., even if it may not directly affect me.
And please, ditch the bold fonts and numerous exclaims. I may not be telling you EVERYTHING.
Maxus D

[vij]

I understand the OP's worry and its good to have a discussion. This is a forum, not a Q&A site. People can exchange opinons.

@noprescriptionpharmacy
Whats with you these days :p


@Maxus
Do you promote generic viagra at all?

[noprescriptionpharmacy]

And please, ditch the bold fonts and numerous exclaims.
Maxus D

I'm sorry!!! I apologize!:o This forum has an incredible potential, but it seems it only has a few active people talking about the industry but a LOT of spammers. It really irritates me, that everybody is quick in posting their promotional messages but never take their time to comment on important matters.

Every time I check the forum and I see an update that isn't SPAM I expected to read some other point of views but I only find you asking the same question over and over :p.

Since it seems nobody else is going to give us their opinion it would be nice to hear your point of view.

[steven RXAF]

I'm sorry!!! I apologize!:o This forum has an incredible potential, but it seems it only has a few active people talking about the industry but a LOT of spammers. It really irritates me, that everybody is quick in posting their promotional messages but never take their time to comment on important matters.

Every time I check the forum and I see an update that isn't SPAM I expected to read some other point of views but I only find you asking the same question over and over :p.

Since it seems nobody else is going to give us their opinion it would be nice to hear your point of view.

I agree with you! to bad people spam and not talk, but what can we do?

the course since 2010 is against online pharmacies but as long as there prices will be high you won't see any of the big companies closing there doors for business, they might change there name and domain but they will keep working for long time

[vij]

I agree with you! to bad people spam and not talk, but what can we do?

the course since 2010 is against online pharmacies but as long as there prices will be high you won't see any of the big companies closing there doors for business, they might change there name and domain but they will keep working for long time

Protect ip is set mainly to curb music and movie piracy but pharma will be on their cross-hairs. If the Protect IP act is enforced then they can just scrape the registry using some keyword or footprint match and do a delete. Not quite but close. So one might have to make new domains every month and thats not practical.

I think the bill will be passed eventually, but not in its current state. Once they ask for amendment, it will have to be put forward again and then voted and passed. Even after the bill is passed it will take a while for it to become a law. It might take 6 months atleast. And if and when we get to that stage, its wings would have got clipped to protect certain First Amendment Rights. Just my take on this. I hope it works out like this. Ofcourse I would prefer it not getting passed at all, but that seems like wishful thinking at this point.

[Osalesmarket]

mmmm I haven't had much of a problem with HSN, and them losing Visa. Most of the people disgruntled about visa in other forums mostly are other vendors down talking to other vendors. At least it has happened to me before else where. But other then that if the client really needs the product they will go and buy a money order or use their mastercard if they need to. After losing MS, sales dropped maybe 5 clients, not that much. When visa dropped I didn't really lose anything.

I think your concentration should be more on keep finding clients to buy from your store rather then worrying too much on what's up with HSN. They know what they are doing and seem to know that to be in business they need to abide certain laws which is something they are doing. They will do their best to find a way to get a visa processor set up again but just time will tell. For now just concentrate on making that extra dollar :)

Now about the Laws and stuff. Info related towards the industry we are in is something we should look into and measure. Because at one point if the plug is ever pulled and all these programs get shut down then, that's when we will have to go else where and look at something else to do.
I don't think HSN will have any damage done maybe in about a 1 year something should change, like others have said maybe in 6 months something could change as well, but from now to 6 months I don't think anything would occur.

Even if HSN closes its doors I can guarantee you that someone else will take their place.

[vij]

PROTECTIP is proceeding. Now renamed E-PARASITE :eek:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111026/12130616523/protect-ip-renamed-e-parasites-act-would-create-great-firewall-america.shtml

[noprescriptionpharmacy]

PROTECTIP is proceeding. Now renamed E-PARASITE :eek:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111026/12130616523/protect-ip-renamed-e-parasites-act-would-create-great-firewall-america.shtml

Thanks VIJ for sharing!

This is just getting too far, forget about our industry and look at it in general, it is getting scary for the entire World Wide Web!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/garyshapiro/2011/10/26/dont-let-hollywood-break-the-internet-with-the-protect-ip-act/

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111027/00083116531/e-parasites-bill-end-internet-as-we-know-it.shtml

[vij]

Thanks VIJ for sharing!

This is just getting too far, forget about our industry and look at it in general, it is getting scary for the entire World Wide Web!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/garyshapiro/2011/10/26/dont-let-hollywood-break-the-internet-with-the-protect-ip-act/

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111027/00083116531/e-parasites-bill-end-internet-as-we-know-it.shtml

Even before they hit rx, it will endanger file sharing sites. What about torrents. Even worse, they will definitely affect the legit sites too and reduce the pull of the internet.

Buggers have also named it "Enforcing and Protecting American Rights Against Sites Intent on Theft and Exploitation Act"(E-PARASITE), a name that's difficult to oppose.