Senator Wyden (D) Oregon saves the Internet

[tazinib1]

Sen. Wyden blocks Internet censorship bill - PROTECT IP Act

 

Thursday Oregon Senator Ron Wyden placed a hold on the controversial PROTECT IP Act, a bill many fear

would open the door to Internet censorship.

 

The Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act,

(PROTECT IP Act) is meant to protect intellectual property and combat copy right infringement. However,

in so doing, the bill would give the U.S. federal government unprecedented power to force ISPs and

search engines to block websites they believe to be infringing on copyright and intellectual property

laws without due process.

 

Many, including Senator Wyden, find the bill draconian, and an intolerable threat to free expression

on the Internet.

 

From a statement released by Senator Ron Wyden:

 

“I understand and agree with the goal of the legislation, to protect intellectual property and combat

commerce in counterfeit goods, but I am not willing to muzzle speech and stifle innovation and economic

growth to achieve this objective. At the expense of legitimate commerce, PIPA’s prescription takes an

overreaching approach to policing the Internet when a more balanced and targeted approach would be more

effective. The collateral damage of this approach is speech, innovation and the very integrity of the

Internet.”

 

Not surprising, the PROTECT IP Act is strongly supported by the music, film, software, gaming and

publishing industries, which loses billions of dollars in revenue each year to online piracy.

 

Public interest group Public Knowledge opposed the bill calling it “over reaching.” Sherwin Siy, deputy

legal director, said:

 

“The bill as written can still allow actions against sites that aren’t infringing on copyright if the

site is seen to ‘enable or facilitate’ infringement — a definition that is far too broad.”

 

Several large corporations such as Google, Yahoo!, Ebay, American Express and Paypal have all opposed

the bill. At an earlier hearing on the act, Google opposed the act saying that it will have very

negative ramifications.

 

The community over at Al Gore's progressive Current.com hailed Wyden's hold as a heroic effort to

preserve Internet freedom. The following is a sample of relevant comments:

 

 

Once again I am proud to live in Oregon and have Ron Wyden as my Senator.

 

I'm starting to really like this guy. We need more like him in office.

 

Thank you, Senator Wyden. Apparently you are one of the few legislators who have not lost their minds.

 

That's why we here in Oregon keep sending him back to D.C.

 

 

For more information on the proposed DNS blocking functions:

 

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/20...tm_campaign=rss

 

 

[jetsfan]

who knew we would be developing TOR for ourselves

[Square]

Yea, that protect ip bill was some scary chit. I hope that thing never gets passed as it just screams for mistreatment in the future.