SOPA and PIPA: Web protests seem to be a turning point

Despite accusation that yesterday’s Web blackout was little more than a stunt, opponents of the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act cheered the protest as a turning point in the debate over the two controversial copyright protection bills.

Momentum in the debate over PIPA and SOPA seems to have shifted in favour of opponents in recent days, with several lawmakers voicing new opposition. Leaders in the U.S. Senate still planned to begin voting on PIPA next Tuesday, but according to reports in Mashable both Acts are seeing an exodus of sponsors.
Notable PIPA defectors include co-sponsors, Texas senator John Cornyn and Arkansas’ John Boozman; Arizona’s Ben Quayle; Nebraska’s Lee Terry; Orrin Hatch from Utah; and Florida’s Marco Rubio.

Anna Eshoo, a California Democrat, blacked out her own website to protest the bills. "History is being made by the more than 10,000 websites that have chosen to boycott SOPA by participating in today’s blackout," she tweeted.

Darrell Issa, a California Republican and opponent of the two bills, also praised participants in the Web blackout for educating the public about the issue. "This unprecedented effort has turned the tide against a backroom lobbying effort by interests that aren’t used to being told ‘no,’" Issa said in a statement. "I know suspending and changing access to sites was not necessarily an easy decision, but this is a responsible and transparent exercise of freedom of speech."

Issa said Saturday that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has assured him that SOPA won’t move forward in the House until consensus is reached. Cantor has not made that promise publicly.

Some politicians, however, have reiterated their support for the Acts, and the Senate will begin voting on PIPA next Tuesday, 24 January. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, told NBC’s "Meet the Press" on Sunday that he plans to push forward with the bill, although senators may offer an amendment to appease some concerns.

Meanwhile, Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican and lead sponsor of SOPA, said he will continue a markup session – to amend and debate SOPA – in the House Judiciary Committee in February. Smith is chairman of the committee.

Smith has promised to remove the ISP and DNS blocking provision in SOPA, but he also has not released the new language.

IDG News Service

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