Web-wide blackout to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (HR 3261), or SOPA, a bill being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives, and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act (S 968), or PIPA.
Many Web sites joined Wikipedia today and went black, Wired.com, and Reddit. Boing Boing put up a “ Service Unavailable” page. Both bills have come under controversy from the tech industry and from Internet-freedom advocates claiming the bill would make it possible to shut down Web sites that link to unauthorized content.
This bill aims at preventing online threats to economic creativity and theft of intellectual property, and other purposes.
One example, the unsealing of a nine-count indictment charging two Russian citizens with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, computer fraud, aggravated identity theft, and securities fraud.
The alleged indictments specify that Vladimir and Kirill Zdorovenin engaged in serial cyber crimes in Russia that targeted Americans by using stolen personal and financial information to make phony purchases and even manipulate stock prices. With the help of his son who remain currently at large allegedly defrauded consumers out of thousands of dollars using fictitious online websites. The allegations also pointed out that malware was created to access victims brokerage accounts, victimizing traders' securities by manipulating the price of stocks that Mr. Zdorovenin had already owned, profits started coming in through this unauthorized means by purchasing or selling shares of the same stocks through their own online brokerage account, maintained in the name of Rim Investment Management, Ltd. All used as a means of deceiving banks, credit card service processors, credit card holders, and others using the internet. After arriving to New York Monday following extradition by Swiss Authorities Mr. Zdorovenin faces a a maximum sentence of 142 years in prison in connection with the charges in the indictment. source FBI
“Cyber crime is a pandemic that makes geography meaningless. From far away, with the click of a mouse, the cyber criminal can victimize millions of people in the U.S. Manhattan Attorney Preet Bharara said.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that PIPA alone would cost the taxpayers at least $47 million over 5 years, Rightsholders, ISPs, or the government could shut down sites with accusations of infringement, and without real due process and The filtering methods might dissuade casual users, but they would be ineffective for dedicated and technically savvy users.
Google's policy counsel testified at a House hearing on November 16th 2011, with an example that might impact small businesses operating online. The testimony expressing points about the uncertain mandates that will be implemented by U.S. companies. Would companies have to modify its network, software, systems, or facilities in order to accommodate this bill?
On the issue of free Speech:
SOPA raises serious First Amendment concerns for U.S. citizens. The prospect of ISPs and search engines ―deleting entire sites when they have violated no U.S. law (but only ―facilitated unlawful acts of third parties) raises serious concerns. Those concerns are exacerbated because SOPA permits these sanctions against sites when unlawful activities are limited only to a portion of the site.
Hollywood and the recording industry:
Supporters of the legislation — called the Stop Online Piracy Act in the House and the Protect Intellectual Property Act in the Senate — say the bills are aimed at protecting jobs in the movie and music industries. Silicon valley Hollywood rivalry
The total movie industry revenue was $87 billion. Where did the other $57 billion come from? From sources that the studios at one time claimed would put them out of business: Pay-per view TV, cable and satellite channels, video rentals, DVD sales, online subscriptions and digital downloads.
What the music and movie industry should be doing in Washington is promoting legislation to adapt copyright law to new technology — and then leading the transition to the new platforms. Steve Blank
How is the Music industry?
…”Music’s first digital decade is behind us and what do we have?” said Mark Mulligan, an analyst at Forrester Research. “Not a lot of progress.”
Tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Yahoo and others have questioned the legislation, warning in a November15th letter that it would force new liabilities and mandates on law-abiding technology companies and require them to monitor websites.
Comments