SOPA And PIPA
Feb 12th, 2012 by The Outsider
Infringment on our internet rights and privacy are being attacked from different sources. This is a bit complicated but we must keep on top of this issue. In a move to guard against online piracy, we may lose our ability to post on the web. Found the following info here.
“In the House, opinion of SOPA hasn’t been neatly divided by party affiliation. Supporters of the bill, including author Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), believe SOPA is a necessary tool to combat online piracy and copyright theft. The bill’s strongest detractors, including Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), believe the bill to be hazardous to the infrastructure, speed and security of the Internet.
Before the House went on its winter recess, SOPA was shelved until the next session (which begins Tuesday).
SOPA was originally designed to give copyright holders and the federal government the right to remove infringing websites from the DNS (Domain Name System). Tech experts claimed this would have had negative consequences for the stability, speed and security of the Internet.
DNS works as a sort of “phone book” for the internet. When a user types a URL into a browser, DNS helps the users’ computer find and speak with the correct server hosting the content the user wants to access. If a website is taken off the DNS system, it becomes more difficult for the average Internet user to arrive at that site. (For more on DNS, watch this excellent explanatory video from The Guardian)
On Friday, Rep. Smith announced he would remove the DNS removal provision from the bill.
The following Monday, it was reported that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) told Rep. Issa there would be no vote on SOPA without a “consensus” on the bill.
Rep. Issa, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, planned to call top tech industry experts to testify to Congress Wednesday — think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington meets Revenge of the Nerds. That hearing has been postponed because of Cantor’s no-vote promise and Smith’s removal of the DNS provisions.
In a statement, Rep. Issa has urged SOPA opponents to turn their attention to the Senate, “where Majority Leader Reid has announced his intention to try to move similar legislation in less than two weeks.”
That similar legislation is the Protect IP Act.”