SOPA’s Unintended Consequences
Freedom can be endangered on many levels and ways. The present administration is intent on controlling free speech in different ways and methods. Even if you think SPOA does not affect you, it does.
Rob Bluey, The Scribe, Heritage Foundation: Few issues before Congress have united online activists like the current debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act in the U.S. House and its Senate companion, the PROTECT IP Act. Both bills attempt to address the theft of intellectual property. But critics say the legislation would do more harm than good.
“The legislation addresses a legitimate problem,” noted Heritage’s James Gattuso in an analysis of SOPA, “but it may have unintended negative consequences for the operation of the Internet and free speech.”
We discussed those consequences on this week’s Scribecast with digital strategist Patrick Ruffini. He’s emerged as a strong critic of SOPA and PROTECT IP, helping conservatives understand the implications of the legislation. Ruffini is president of Engage, a digital agency in Washington, D.C. He previously handled online strategy for the Republican National Committee and Bush-Cheney campaign.
Listen to the interview with Patrick Ruffini on this week’s Scribecast
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is currently planning to bring the PROTECT IP Act up for a vote on Jan. 24. Yesterday six conservative U.S. senators warned Reid about the tight timetable for considering the legislation, asking him to allow for adequate debate.
“We are all in agreement that the online distribution and sale of pirated content and counterfeit goods impose a huge cost on the American economy in terms of lost jobs, lost sales, lost innovation and lost income,” the senators wrote. “We also believe, however, that we need to arrive at the right solution in the right way on this important topic.”
In the interview, Ruffini explains why the legislation has inspired a firestorm of online activism on the right and left among bloggers and other content creators. With a vote on the horizon, that activity is only likely to increase in the days to come.
Tags: bloggers, free speech, Harry Reid, online, piracy, podcast, protect IP, regulation, Scribecast, SOPA, stop online piracy act To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Rob Bluey, The Scribe, Heritage Foundation: Few issues before Congress have united online activists like the current debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act in the U.S. House and its Senate companion, the PROTECT IP Act. Both bills attempt to address the theft of intellectual property. But critics say the legislation would do more harm than good.
“The legislation addresses a legitimate problem,” noted Heritage’s James Gattuso in an analysis of SOPA, “but it may have unintended negative consequences for the operation of the Internet and free speech.”
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| Patrick Ruffini |
Listen to the interview with Patrick Ruffini on this week’s ScribecastSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is currently planning to bring the PROTECT IP Act up for a vote on Jan. 24. Yesterday six conservative U.S. senators warned Reid about the tight timetable for considering the legislation, asking him to allow for adequate debate.
“We are all in agreement that the online distribution and sale of pirated content and counterfeit goods impose a huge cost on the American economy in terms of lost jobs, lost sales, lost innovation and lost income,” the senators wrote. “We also believe, however, that we need to arrive at the right solution in the right way on this important topic.”
In the interview, Ruffini explains why the legislation has inspired a firestorm of online activism on the right and left among bloggers and other content creators. With a vote on the horizon, that activity is only likely to increase in the days to come.
Tags: bloggers, free speech, Harry Reid, online, piracy, podcast, protect IP, regulation, Scribecast, SOPA, stop online piracy act To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 9:30 PM - Post Link
3 Comments:
There sure has been a firestorm kicked up about SOPA, so much so that tens of thousands of websites on the net are going dark to oppose the legislation.
We have reached the Rubicon.
Just another example of how Big Business is in bed with Big Government to force there goal of total control of our lives, down to what we are able to read and say on the internet.
Wednesday 18 January everyone go dark. find more info here
http://sopastrike.com/
SOPA NOT HEADING TO THE HOUSE FLOOR
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa announced this week that SOPA will not be heading to the House floor. "Majority Leader Cantor has assured me that we will continue to work to address outstanding concerns and work to build consensus prior to any anti-piracy legislation coming before the House for a vote," said Chairman Issa. "The voice of the Internet community has been heard.
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Great post! Really insightful.
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