Stop Online Piracy Act: Difference between revisions
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==Black Out Day== | ==Black Out Day== | ||
The popular social news website and forum, Reddit, announced with a week's notice that it would black out its own site from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on January 18th, 2012, to protest SOPA. The site was influential in bringing about the aforementioned boycott of GoDaddy following the [[registrar]]'s momentary support of the legislation.<ref>[http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/01/reddit-black-itself-out-protest-sopa.html Reddit Black Itself Out Protest Sopa, NYmag.com]</ref> Members of the site | The popular social news website and forum, Reddit, announced with a week's notice that it would black out its own site from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on January 18th, 2012, to protest SOPA. The site was influential in bringing about the aforementioned boycott of GoDaddy following the [[registrar]]'s momentary support of the legislation.<ref>[http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/01/reddit-black-itself-out-protest-sopa.html Reddit Black Itself Out Protest Sopa, NYmag.com]</ref> Members of the site tried to convince major websites like [[Google]], [[Amazon.com|Amazon]], and Facebook to join in the protest. The move was originally inspired by Wikipedia, who was the first to consider blacking out its services in protest of SOPA.<ref>[http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/google-amazon-twitter-and-facebook-consider-nuclear-blackout/14307?tag=content;siu-container Google, Amazon, Twitter and Facebook consider 'nuclear' blackout, zdnet.com]</ref> [[Tucows]] announced on January 12th that it would be joining Reddit by blacking out its Software Download site for the same block of time.<ref>[http://tucowsinc.com/news/2012/01/why-we-dont-like-sopa/ Why We Don't Like Sopa, tucowsinc.com]</ref> Just a couple of days before the planned blackout, Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales announced that Wikipedia would be joining the protest,<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57359763-93/wikipedia-to-join-web-blackout-protesting-sopa/ Wikipedia to join Web blackout protesting SOPA, cnet.com]</ref> blacking out for a full 24 hours. All content was redirected to a letter from the Wikipedia community concerning SOPA and [[PIPA]], with a call to action for visitors to call or write the [[U.S. Congress]].<ref>[http://blogs.ft.com/fttechhub/2012/01/wikipedia-anti-sopa-blackout/#axzz1jesEZoYn Wikipedia’s anti-SOPA blackout will go ahead on Wednesday, blogs.ft.com]</ref> Other prominent sites participating by blocking some or all of their content included Wired,<ref>[http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/why-weve-censored-wired-com Why Weve Censored Wired, Wired.com]</ref> Craigslist, Google, Boing Boing, and others.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57360291/google-plans-to-use-home-page-to-protest-sopa/ Google plans to use home page to protest SOPA, cbsnews.com]</ref><ref>[http://boingboing.net/?p=139152 boingboing.net]</ref> | ||
More than 115,000 sites | More than 115,000 sites participated, the strike garnered 10 million signatures to various petitions and more than 3 million emails sent to members of Congress.<ref>[http://www.sopastrike.com/numbers SOPA Strike Numbers]</ref> | ||
===Reactions to Blackout Day=== | ===Reactions to Blackout Day=== | ||
Cong. Smith, primary author of the SOPA criticized Wikipedia's blackout protest. He said that it is ironic to see the company "spreading misinformation" about the bill and he pointed out that it will not harm the company, blogs or social networking sites. Smith described the company's move as a "publicity stunt and disservice to users by promoting fear instead of facts."<ref>[http://mashable.com/2012/01/17/sopa-congress/ SOPA Author Attacks Wikipedia, Schedules Debate on Bill]</ref> | Cong. Smith, primary author of the SOPA criticized Wikipedia's blackout protest. He said that it is ironic to see the company "spreading misinformation" about the bill and he pointed out that it will not harm the company, blogs or social networking sites. Smith described the company's move as a "publicity stunt and disservice to users by promoting fear instead of facts."<ref>[http://mashable.com/2012/01/17/sopa-congress/ SOPA Author Attacks Wikipedia, Schedules Debate on Bill]</ref> | ||
Chris Dodd, CEO of Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and former Connecticut senator described the blackout protest as irresponsible | Chris Dodd, CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and former Connecticut senator, described the blackout protest as an irresponsible abuse of power. According to him, the action of technology companies against SOPA dangerous and troubling.<ref>[http://gizmodo.com/5876984/the-mpaa-says-blackout-protests-are-an-abuse-of-power The MPAA Says Blackout Protests Are an Abuse of Power]</ref> | ||
Despite the participation of major American websites, such as Google, Wikipedia, and Cragislist, MPAA claimed that the January 18th anti-SOPA blackout failed to gain any significant traction.<ref>[http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120118/11484617455/denial-mpaa-pretends-that-no-big-sites-have-joined-sopapipa-protests.shtml?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter Denial MPAA Pretends That No Big Sites Have Joined SOPA PIPA Protests, TechDirt.com]</ref> | Despite the participation of major American websites, such as Google, Wikipedia, and Cragislist, MPAA claimed that the January 18th anti-SOPA blackout failed to gain any significant traction.<ref>[http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120118/11484617455/denial-mpaa-pretends-that-no-big-sites-have-joined-sopapipa-protests.shtml?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter Denial MPAA Pretends That No Big Sites Have Joined SOPA PIPA Protests, TechDirt.com]</ref> | ||
Twitter CEO Dick Costolo also criticized Wikipedia's plan to shutdown | Twitter CEO Dick Costolo also criticized Wikipedia's plan to shutdown its website for a day in protest as a foolish and silly thing to do. He tweeted, ''"That's just silly. Closing a global business in reaction to single-issue national politics is foolish."''<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/16/wikipedia-sopa-blackout-slammed-twitter Twitter boss slams Wikipedia's 'silly' Sopa protest]</ref> | ||
Following the SOPA blackout, many senators and congressmen withdrew their support of the bill. Marco Rubio and Tim Holden notably withdrew their support of PIPA and SOPA respectively, they were both co-sponsors of those respective bills.<ref>[http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120118/11581717456/more-senators-dropping-off-as-co-sponsors-pipa.shtml?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter More Senators Dropping Off as Co-Sponsors PIPA, TechDirt.com]</ref> | Following the SOPA blackout, many senators and congressmen withdrew their support of the bill. Marco Rubio and Tim Holden notably withdrew their support of PIPA and SOPA respectively, they were both co-sponsors of those respective bills.<ref>[http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120118/11581717456/more-senators-dropping-off-as-co-sponsors-pipa.shtml?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter More Senators Dropping Off as Co-Sponsors PIPA, TechDirt.com]</ref> | ||