Wikipedia outage sparks rage on Twitter

By: Chenda Ngak
Topics: Tech Talk

(Credit: Twitter/HerpDerpedia)

(CBS) - At midnight last night, Wikipedia took down its English language edition to protest the U.S. anti-piracy bills, Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA).

Although, Wikipedia posted a three-sentence statement on their landing page, people on Twitter were filled with rage and confused over why the site went dark.

Full coverage of SOPA/PIPA at Tech Talk

"For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia," said the statement.

"Wait... Is Wikipedia gone for forever or just a little while?" tweet @haileemorgannn. Gee, if only they made a statement telling us how long they'd be down.

"Why oh why have they shut down wikipedia?," tweeted @_bethanne_. An astute follower replied with "Did you read the page, really, it's 3 sentences, THREE!"

"Wikipedia is closed because the web is censored in China, Iran, Syria, North Korea, etc?" tweeted @robUx4. Mixing metaphors is bad, but mixing social movements is inexcusable!

These are just the clean tweets! Twitter accounts @herpderpedia and @WikiBlackout are retweeting some of the best reactions in the twitterverse - full of four-letter words.These poor kids. If only there was a place where people gathered to read and borrow books.

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Websites go dark to protest SOPA

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by AOCGUY January 19, 2012 10:06 AM EST: Good lord, Wiki goes down for 24 hours and people react like it is the end of the world. Folks, get a life and a library card.; Reply to this comment

by rwsmith29456 January 18, 2012 11:57 PM EST

I believe that the law is necessary, but that it should only address the pirating of material owned by someone else and that's all. Revisit and re-write PLEASE. I also believe that just because something is on the web does NOT automatically make it public domain.

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by MegaProcrastination January 19, 2012 2:09 AM EST: Many many of us who oppose SOPA/PIPA feel the same way you do and this is what a lot of people don't understand. We own several websites, one of which is a forum. We've never, ever supported piracy of any type. Google already has a way better idea of how to handle this than the congress people do. If the congress people would listen they would not only learn much about the internet but also most likely come up with a workable solution for everyone involved.

by Wookiee-1138 January 18, 2012 11:36 PM EST

And people say Facebook and Twitter allow them to stay connected and informed. WIKIPEDIA, IRCs AND DOZENS OF TECH BLOGS WERE REPORTING THE PLANNED BLACKOUT A WEEK IN ADVANCE. HOW COULD NOT NOT KNOW?

When I was those punks' age, I had to rely on BBS and Usenet to stay informed.

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by AOCGUY January 19, 2012 10:08 AM EST: Heck when I was their age I relied on the library. Even typewriters were manual (pre Selectric days).

"I wonder how many people will Wiki or Google Selectric to find out what I meant."


by DocD--2008 January 18, 2012 11:31 PM EST: "Wait... Is Wikipedia gone for forever or just a little while?" tweet @haileemorgannn.

Guess they can't read or don't understand what 24 hours means...

"For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia," said the statement."; Reply to this comment

by pwgrant January 18, 2012 10:24 PM EST

ANYONE using wikipedia as a research source is an idiot and deserves to fail their course. ANY instructor worth their weight will tell you that you cannot rely on the validity of wikipedia content as factual and without error. Thus is cannot be used as a source. However, it is fun to look up crap on it when you are sitting on the can taking a dump.

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by AOCGUY January 19, 2012 10:10 AM EST: Actually Wiki is a good start for compiling resources but you are correct that to use Wike as your sole source of info is a sure fire way to gain false info - sort of like relying on anyone media outlet for your news.


by AOCGUY January 19, 2012 10:22 AM EST: pwgrant, you take you computer into the can with you?


by 10min January 18, 2012 5:12 PM EST: If you think this is an overraction in any shape or form, you're extremely misinformed. Putting trust in a business that makes its money with creating lies, illusions and half-truths might not be a very bright idea.

If you can't grasp why they're protesting against this and not other freedom-threatening laws, try looking up "internet" when Wikipedia is back online.; Reply to this comment


by vorpalsword92 January 18, 2012 5:06 PM EST: Can you sorry excuses for journalists stop fishing around twitter attempting to milk out enough for a lousy "news" article.; Reply to this comment


by mkbjon January 18, 2012 5:04 PM EST: The site has instructions for you to disable Java Script in the browser, and then you can use it fine. Is it a little hassle, YES, but nothing to cry about.; Reply to this comment


by Scimajor January 18, 2012 4:41 PM EST: waaaaahhhh! I can't finish my essay on the uses of crtl-c and ctrl-v.; Reply to this comment

by spitbucketbaptismo January 18, 2012 4:26 PM EST

Those freaking out about Wikipedia being blacked out are sorely misinformed. The blackout runs from 8:00 a.m. e.s.t. to 8:00 p.m. e.s.t on January 18, 2012. Well golly, that's today. Has the 'tech' generation never heard of a library?

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