The growing anti-SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) support that has swept through the gaming and Internet community found a very big ally today. With websites like Reddit and Wikipedia and gaming organizations like Major League Gaming prepared for a blackout on January 18th – the same day that the House Judiciary Committee hearing on HR 3261was scheduled in Washington, DC – President Barack Obama has stepped in and said he would not support the bill. SOPA has been killed, for now.
But there remains another similar bill, Protect IP (the Enforcing and Protecting American Rights Against Sites Intent on Theft and Exploitation Act), that poses a problem for gamers and Internet users. This legislation is scheduled to go before the Senate on January 24th.
Both SOPA and Protect IP attempt to combat online piracy by preventing American search engines like Google and Yahoo from directing users to sites distributing stolen content. Both bills also would enable people and companies to sue if their copyright was infringed. Obama has come out against both bills, which killed SOPA and puts pressure on senators come January 24th.
(Please click on the keywords "Stop Online Piracy Act" to read the full article)
Certainly no one appreciates or desires online "piracy" and copyright violations of another's oringinal content but neither do Internet users desire to have a China like government or corporation controlled Internet. Current legislation in Congress threatens to destroy Internet free speech and many are grateful for President Barack Obama opposing such legislation at present, even if such oppostion is a political move in an election year to appease President Obama's liberal base. The true Obama stand will come in a possible second Obama Adminstration. Will President Obama continue to stand for Internet free speech or will he give in again to Big Business and the "Big Brother Is Watching You" Federal goverment? Time will tell.
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