protest+against+SOPA+PIPA

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 * Wednesday, Jan 18th** - Learn more about the protest against SOPA / PIPA today. Internet companies such as Wikipedia*, Wordpress, Boing Boing, Mozilla and Reddit(and more) are blocking their content for 24 hours to raise awareness. Even Google has a banner to show their support, even if their content is not blocked.======


 * What is SOPA / PIPA?**

SOPA is the Stop Online Piracy Act (H.R. 3261) introduced to the United States House of Representatives on Oct. 26, 2011. According to the bill itself, its purpose is to "promote prosperity, creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation by combating the theft of U.S. property, and for other purposes." The act is directed mainly at sites in foreign countries (outside of the U.S. jurisdiction) that exist primarily to distribute pirated or counterfeit goods. The bill would require US companies to block access to such sites, remove any advertising, and stop providing financial services. Those opposed to the bill claim that SOPA could "break the internet" as we know it, by restricting free speech and making the cost of doing business online too high, and that the potential for abuse is just too high.

PIPA is the Senate's Protect Intellectual Property Act (Senate 968). Similar to SOPA.

"There are already laws that protect copyrighted material, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). But while the DMCA focuses on removing specific, unauthorized content from the Internet, SOPA and PIPA instead target the platform -- that is, the site hosting the unauthorized content." (CBS) Or, as Josh put it, "the DMCA is like a Killer T cell, while SOPA is like a Natural Killer Cell!"


 * Who is for and against it?**

Supporters of SOPA include the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the United States Chamber of Commerce, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Companies that are opposed include Google, Facebook, eBay and PayPal. "These companies, many of which could be directly targeted under SOPA, have objected to the legislation." (HowStuffWorks) Facebook & Twitter are also opposed, but did not choose to block their content today.


 * How can I learn more?**
 * CBS gives a pretty good overview on what is going on
 * PC World gives a good summary.
 * HowStuffWorks gives an excellent and mostly unbiased summary of the main issues.
 * KQED talks with **James Temple**, technology columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle.
 * Read more about why these internet sites are blocking content today (1.18.12) BBC

Links kids share:
 * Cynical Brit talks about What is SOPA?