SOPA, PIPA and What You Need To Know About Them.
The freedom to share information, post pictures on facebook, write a blog or find information through google… things we usually take for granted, are being threatened by two bills currently before US Congress. SOPA and PIPA.
You’ve heard these words thrown around on twitter, or on the news but what ARE they, really? And what do they mean for us Canucks?
What is SOPA/PIPA?
SOPA (Stop.Online.Piracy.Act) and PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act) are pieces of proposed American legislature that are designed to protect musicians, filmmakers, and writers from having their works stolen and distributed illegally online. But, if passed, they would not only will they force American website operators to police each piece of user-generated content on their sites (think videos and pics we upload to FB or Youtube), but they would also allow copywrite holders (Anyone from TV Networks to Artists) to obtain unopposed court orders, forcing internet companies to block access to foreign sites that are “alleged” to have violated the laws. 
Scared yet?
SOPA and PIPA would give US government direct authority to block ENTIRE domains and block all North American IP addresses as “Domestic internet protocol addresses” that would be subject to US law (yes.. even in Canada) giving them the power to implement censorship practices much like those used in China and Iran. And just in case you find a way to work around the censorship, they’re also hoping to outlaw technology that allows foreigners to evade the info blocks.
How CRAZY is that??
Though this would take effect in America, if passed, we’ll almost certainly feel the effects of it here in Canada. (For gosh sakes, the US government is extraditing a UK citizen for just LINKING to sites that hosted pirated material!)
We can all agree, the times when we bought CD’s at HMV and rented movies are dwindling, and the laws DO need to change in order to make it fair for those releasing creative works. SOPA and PIPA specifically target, in part, what makes the internet such a powerful thing… the ability for anyone to post, link or share content.. anywhere.
