Articles

January 13, 2012 - Those opposing the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) gained a considerable victory after SOPA author Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) announced the removal of the domain-name system (DNS) blocking provisions of the bill. “After consultation with industry groups across the country I feel we should remove DNS-blocking from the Stop Online Piracy Act so that the [U.S. House Judiciary] Committee can further examine the issues surrounding this provision,” Smith said in a statement released by his office. The bill, also known as H.R. 3261 was originally introduced in the United States House of Representatives as a way for U.S. law enforcement and copyright holders to further combat online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods. In the original writing of the bill, various measures could be taken against websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement, including blocking DNS servers.

The change comes right before the White House expressed its views on the bill, pointing out the dangers that this bill would pose to the development of online businesses, freedom of expression and cybersecurity.

Word of the White House

According to technology and web development news site Tech Crunch the message issued by the White House regarding SOPA clearly rejected some of its main principles, but not its intention. “While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response,” the White House stated, “we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet.” Most, if not all website developers and web experts could not agree more, expressing in various ways and means the point of SOPA possibly destroying the very foundations of the internet, and that messing with one of its most basic technical components, the DNS, would just be asking for trouble.

In its statement the White House also urged lawmakers to consider a balance of fighting piracy and counterfeiting with an open internet because “Any effort to combat online piracy must guard against the risk of online censorship of lawful activity and must not inhibit innovation by our dynamic businesses large and small.”

Before the White House released this statement, many companies had already expressed their opposition and even disdain for the bill, with Smith reiterating his firm resolve to pursue the enactment of SOPA in response to them all, until now.

Fuelled by Cold Shoulders

Just as an ignored child intensifies by throwing a tantrum, the opposition strengthened their stand after being obviously ignored first by Smith, and then by the media. The media snub could not be helped though, as some of the SOPA supporters include major media companies such as ABC, CBS, Comcast/NBCUniversal and News Corporation.

The opposition began when major companies Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter and others wrote a public letter announcing their views against SOPA in November, followed by a huge wave of criticisms and complaints posted by various companies and individuals online. Eventually, the opposition got creative with a movement called Blackout SOPA, giving individuals against SOPA opportunities to express and publicise their stand. These many “opportunities” include profile pictures with anti-SOPA messages people can use, a free app that identifies and boycotts SOPA supporting brands and tips on how to “go black”, or black out your website in protest of SOPA. Among the sites already “going black” are social news site Reddit, WordPress, Mozilla and popular online encyclopaedia Wikipedia. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore also expressed that he is against the bill, and with the addition of the White House, representing the voice of President Barack Obama himself, the opposition just could not be ignored any longer.

The result is Smith’s decision to drop DNS-blocking, but new developments suggest that the results could go even further, with the bill being dropped altogether. According to ZDNet.com U.S. House Judiciary Committee Member and anti-SOPA Congressman Darrell Issa recently announced that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has promised not to bring SOPA to the floor of the House of Representatives. Without the majority leader’s support the bill will not be voted on, and will essentially be dead. "The voice of the internet community has been heard,” Issa has said, referring to the overwhelming response of the anti-SOPA groups. This new development is said to be a direct result of President Obama voicing out that he would not support SOPA.

Still Anybody’s Game

Despite this new development Smith shows no signs of stopping and has been quoted saying, “We will continue to look for ways to ensure that foreign Web sites cannot sell and distribute illegal content to U.S. consumers... Congress must address the widespread problem of online theft of America’s technology and products from foreign thieves.”

Though SOPA has been stoppered for the moment, its counterpart in the senate, the Protect IP Act (PIPA) is still very much alive and according to social media and web development news source Mashable PIPA author Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT)would edit the bill in the same way Smith did with SOPA, taking out DNS-blocking and redirection. This, along with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s continued support could mean PIPA may go further than SOPA, further than the SOPA opposition would like. Issa assures the opposition though that it will not be so easy for PIPA. In an article on ZDNEt he states, “While I remain concerned about Senate action on the Protect IP Act [PIPA], I am confident that flawed legislation will not be taken up by this House.” He also continues to urge Congress to heed the advice of Internet experts on anti-piracy legislation, and is also working on the passage of the bipartisan OPEN act, an alternative to PIPA and SOPA that protects intellectual property rights without undermining the structure and entrepreneurialism of the internet.