How to beat the Wikipedia blackout
Bring the facts back with one quick change to your browser settings
The English-language version of the website has been taken down for 24 hours in protest against two anti-piracy laws currently being debated by the US Congress.But although Wikipedia is hidden behind a blackout page for the day, it's not completely disappeared.
One page of the site remains accessible - an article which explains what the protest is about and what the anti-piracy bills (known as Sopa and Pipa) could mean for internet users.
On that page, Wikipedia also explains how others can join the protest and states, "Our purpose here isn't to make it completely impossible for people to read Wikipedia, and it's okay for you to circumvent the blackout. We just want to make sure you see our message."
As Wikipedia says, there are ways to continue using the site today and it's actually very easy to do so. For one thing, Wikipedia has not blacked out its mobile version - so if you run a search on a smartphone with internet access, you can browse the site in full.
If you're trying to browse the desktop version, you just need to make a quick change to your web browser. As Sophos spokesman Graham Cluley points out on his excellent blog, Wikipedia's blackout is achieved using JavaScript.
Cluley goes on to show how Firefox users can get around the blackout using the NoScript add-on.
But if you're on Internet Explorer, it's just as easy to get back into Wikipedia. First, open up the 'Internet options' box. In IE9, this means clicking on the Tools icon at the top right of your window, then clicking on Internet options.
Now click on the Security tab and click on the Restricted sites icon. Click on the Sites button to open the Restricted sites window. Type http://en.wikipedia.org into the box at the top (if you're on the Wikipedia page, this will already be filled in).Now click the Add button, then Close, then OK. And that's it. Adding Wikipedia to your list of restricted sites blocks it from running scripts, so all those handy facts are once again at your fingertips.
All the facts: why Wikipedia has shut down today
So Wiki is against the anti piracy laws the US intends to bring in. Well I have two comments. Firstly are Wiki saying it's OK to pirate films and music that the rest of us buy?
Secondly they bought this in to law in France last year. Where was Wiki then? I don't remember them blacking out the French Wiki site. Ah but then Wiki, Microsoft and Google are not based in France are they. They are only interested in protecting themselves in the US and the rest of us can kiss our own ars*s. Typical bloody Americans, me, me, me as always.
LMAO, i think this site has demonstrated such an obvious irony!
1. Wikipedia block there entire website in protest of having certain parts of the internet subject to censorship.
2. Not even a whole 24 hours passes before somebody realises how to get passed the protest and access what he wants to see and posts it to the world.
...
In conclusion, let the **** politician pass there bill, it isn't worth the paper its written onto, the future is technology, no force on heaven or earth could act quickly enough to shutdown any/every site on the internet before another one crops up or somebody works out how to get around the block...
What your essencial looking at here is a cold war between a couple of hundred short sighted politicians and the ENTIRE world... I know where my money is...
LOL @ the previous indignant comments !
Do you honestly think this lame excuse for a protest is actually going to make a difference? Of course not!
If you really feeling that 'outraged' then time to get off your liberal hippie butts and get out there making your voice heard loud and clear!
However we know you won't be doing this, the extent of your indignation is a protest comment on here - which also will not make any diffierence!
computers and internet, what a joke.
i know im online doing it right now, and i know the goverment is watching and secret organizations are watching, date collecting almost everywhere nowadays.
why do you think they want braodband everywhere, the internet was created in america by the defence, do some history people. I learnt whilst out college about the creation of the LAN. So i believe the internet is full and massively corrupt. Just like everything else we take it and we turn it into a lie and corruption, nothing but greed once again.
Pay per clicks anyone, look it up. Selling of you private address,s and telephone numbers and postcode online, yep i know you think it does not happen, for god sake wake up will, even job agency people do this day in and day out, then you never hear from them again, its not what you can see, its what you can,t see where you should be putting your concentration, you would be suprised what you find when you dig deep enough.
almost nobody can be trusted anymore.
Nik TaylorNik Taylor is a co-editor of MSN Tech & Gadgets, where he works alongside fellow editor Verity Burns to keep the site up to date.
Verity BurnsVerity Burns is the co-editor of MSN Tech & Gadgets, teaming up with Nik Taylor to produce features and blogs.
