For 24 hours beginning January 18, 2012, a number of sites across the web will participate in the largest Internet blackout in history. This blackout will be conducted in protest to two bills introduced in Congress, one in the House, the other in the Senate, that could destroy the freedom and openness of the Internet, and perhaps the security and integrity of the Internet itself, on the pretense of stopping online piracy.
While we fully support the protection of copyright ownership and do not condone piracy at The Force Field, The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and it’s close cousin, The Protect IP ACT (PIPA) do little to stop piracy or protect intellectual property. In essence, these bills are more about control of the Internet than the protection of anyone’s rights or property on it. But don’t take my word for it. Read them for yourself. Here are SOPA (H.R.3261.IH) and PIPA (S.968). Chances are, once you do, you will know more about what are in these bills than your Congressperson does, because chances are, he or she hasn’t read them.
That in itself is a ridiculous and scary thought. Who would take such a foolish risk and make important decisions that affect individuals, families and businesses across America and vote on something without even reading it or learning what it is? How irresponsible! Yet our Congresspeople do it regularly. They did it with other bills, such as the health care law, and they are doing it with both SOPA and PIPA.
Politicians are not technicians. Most of these lawmakers have absolutely no clue as to how the Internet actually works. Yet they are about to make decisions based solely on their own limited perceptions of it as “explained” to them by the lobbyists who want these bills passed. In fact, IT experts who do know how the Internet works and who do know what these bills, if passed, will do to it were not consulted or conferred on for their opinions and advice, leading many to believe that your congressional representatives are not interested in the facts. They don’t know, and they don’t want to know, what these bills are really about. They simply want to please the lobbyists who have and continue to seduce them with millions to vote their way.
It’s not about doing the right thing. It’s all about the money.
These bills, if passed, will do more than just give entities such as the MPAA and RIAA a way to “control piracy”. It will give them carte blanche to go after anyone they want, whether there is justification to do so or not, and it will give the government the keys to the Internet itself.
It will change the face of Internet as we know it. When it does, chances are, if you use, rely on and or otherwise enjoy the freedom of the Internet, you won’t like it.
Congress has already proven it has no backbone, no will and no desire to protect the freedoms and rights of the American people by passing other unpopular laws Americans did not want, in spite of overwhelming opposition. We can’t let them do it again. It’s up to the people to stand up for ourselves. For this reason, sites across the web will be going black for 24 hours January 18. The Force Field will be one of them.
If you want to keep this from potentially becoming a permanent blackout in the future, call or write your Congressman. Or Congresswoman. Now.