What is SOPA and PIPA?

If you attempted to visit Wikipedia today (January 18, 2012), you’ve noticed that the online encyclopedia is protesting the proposed SOPA and PIPA legislation. Actually, there are a few online sites that are blacked out in solidarity. Instead of blacking out my blog, I’ve chosen to use this day to increase awareness.

SOPA and PIPA are proposed legislation packages which have the potential to censor the internet and limit expression. As a creative person, I have to speak up and not be silent. I know that there are many people who just don’t know what this is about, or how it could affect them, so I want to at least offer some education on the subject.

On one of its few pages NOT blacked out today, Wikipedia explains:

SOPA and PIPA represent two bills in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate respectively. SOPA is short for the “Stop Online Piracy Act,” and PIPA is an acronym for the “Protect IP Act.” (“IP” stands for “intellectual property.”) In short, these bills are efforts to stop copyright infringement committed by foreign web sites, but, in our opinion, they do so in a way that actually infringes free expression while harming the Internet.

If you are an artist, creator, maker, website designer, intellectual property owner, or anyone who wants to know more about this threat to online expression, please visit Wikipedia and Google to learn how your future freedoms could be affected.

Wikipedia makes it easy for you to contact representatives in Congress by just entering your zip code. You’ll immediately be given contact form links, as well as social media contacts for your Congress reps. It doesn’t take long to send them your thoughts. Everyone’s voice adds up.

End Piracy, Not Liberty