Will SOPA Kill the Internet As We Know It?

640 KFI's Leo Laporte issued a vituperative today against Congress for being in the pocket of the SOPA lobbyists who, if they have their way, will change the Internet as we know it.

SOPA stands for Stop Online Piracy Act. The problem is how do you define piracy? A link on Facebook or YouTube? Could SOPA kill Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and other sites?

Am I over worried?

There has been little media coverage on this topic. Why?

Comments

[Paul]

Navteq traffic to launch on Garmin devices using HD radio technology
http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/25/navteq-traffic-to-launch-on-garmin-devices-using-hd-radio-techno/

[Paul]

Clay County man speaks to kids for Santa over short-wave radio
http://jacksonville.com/community/clay/2011-12-23/story/clay-county-man-speaks-kids-santa-over-short-wave-radio

[Doug T.]

I oppose SOPA. However, I think you are exaggerating. SOPA only applies to non US websites.

Articles on SOPA have appeared in every major news publication -- including the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times (which has had extensive coverage), CBS, Fox, CNN, etc.

Finally, the bill is still in committee. Expect a lot more discussion when it leaves the Judiciary Committee.

[Jeffrey McMahon]

No one to blame for me for not knowing about it until two days ago. I hope there is no slippery slope effect if it does pass.

[Keith]

SOPA is bad news. There is not likely to be "a lot more discussion". Certainly not public debate a la is O.J. guilty or should Charlie Sheen? There is a lot of hot air in Congress but that is not a substitute for public involvement.

SOPA will be fast tracked through Congress with a bare minimum of public discussion. Our Jeffery is a member of the vast majority of citizens who have never heard of SOPA.

The same circumstances/tactics prevailed for the enactment of the Telecommunications act of 1996. Of course the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is not all bad, they threw us a bone, now it is legal to fart on TV.

Congress and their corporate overlords are perfectly happy with an uninformed electorate. Ultimately SOPA will further their efforts in this direction.

[Doug T.]

Contrary to the predictions of doom in the post and some comments above (SOPA will be fast-tracked, no public discussion, etc.) SOPA saw wide discussion, particularly from those in the technology sector.

In the end, the pressure on the White House was too strong -- as the result of two large petitions. The White House came out against SOPA, effectively killing it with its (unspoken) threat of a veto.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/01/14/obama-administration-responds-we-people-petitions-sopa-and-online-piracy

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/us/white-house-says-it-opposes-parts-of-2-antipiracy-bills.html

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/s-o-p-a-all-but-dead/

Even before the White House announcement, the bill was badly stalled in committee.

http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/204167-sopa-shelved-until-consensus-is-found