For those of you following the network neutrality issues on this blog it may be apparent that the issues with the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and "The PROTECT IP Act (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011 or PIPA), also known as Senate Bill 968 or S. 968, is a proposed law with the stated goal of giving the US government and copyright holders additional tools to curb access to "rogue websites dedicated to infringing or counterfeit goods", especially those registered outside the U.S.[1] " (English Wikipedia) may have implications for network neutrality.
Either of these laws begins to give carrier lobbyists a new way to control the Internet by petitioning the courts under the guise of copyright violation when they may in fact have other alternatives. In most cases we need the government to help protect the freedom of the Internet. In this case special interest lobbies such as the rich and powerful Motion Picture Industry Association have pushed these bills to further enrich their members by attempted further enforcement of the copyright laws.
Although regulation in this direction may be necessary we must tread carefully lest we destroy the freedoms we have so carefully guarded on the Internet. For example, several sites such as Wikipedia and Etsy fear they will have to close as it will be too difficult to monitor the users contributions and the cost of doing so will be to large.
Either of these laws begins to give carrier lobbyists a new way to control the Internet by petitioning the courts under the guise of copyright violation when they may in fact have other alternatives. In most cases we need the government to help protect the freedom of the Internet. In this case special interest lobbies such as the rich and powerful Motion Picture Industry Association have pushed these bills to further enrich their members by attempted further enforcement of the copyright laws.
Although regulation in this direction may be necessary we must tread carefully lest we destroy the freedoms we have so carefully guarded on the Internet. For example, several sites such as Wikipedia and Etsy fear they will have to close as it will be too difficult to monitor the users contributions and the cost of doing so will be to large.
