SOPA/PIPA Internet Blackout Day Aftermath

Pages on the internet looked a little different yesterday, as blacked out images and text ran rampant in an attempt to emulate what might happen if two major bills pass through legislation. SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) are broad approaches backed by the likes of RIAA, MPAA, ESPN, Sony, and many more large media focused companies seeking to protect creative content under copyright, especially from foreign websites that make licensed content like movies and music available for free. This is a completely valid premise of course; however, the issue many internet companies vowed to fight was the vague wording of the acts that would allow for censorship or even complete blocking of websites that inadvertently allow users to post copyright violating content, instead of penalizing the user alone or removing the content.

Wikipedia, Google, Reddit, Tumblr, Wired, local sites like Austin Chronicle and Slackerwood, along with 75000 other webpages darkened or modified their sites to raise awareness to the cause and give information on how to protest it to congress representatives. [Click the company links to learn more about how each one approached the issue.] Thirteen members switched their stance as a result of the January 18 blackout and now oppose the measures, including TX Republican John Cornyn, leaving little hope for the measure to pass with the necessary numbers. Either way, the White House issued a statement on the official blog, stating that they "will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet.”

Even artists, musicians, and producers got together to denounce the legislation. Neil Gaiman, Trent Reznor, OK GO, MGMT, Aziz Ansari and many more signed an open letter to Washington discussing their concerns about PIPA and SOPA. TED Talks posted clips from conferences discussing the need for an open internet, and VICE pointed out how even politician SOPA supporters are violating current copyright laws.

SOPA was authored by one of our very own Texas Republican representatives, Lamar Smith, who continues to back the legislation and is pushing for a vote next week or in February. It remains to be seen how this battle will end.