Bye Bye, SOPA!

[Debatra]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2012_01/putting_sopa_on_a_shelf034765.php

Misguided efforts to combat online privacy have been threatening to stifle innovation, suppress free speech, and even, in some cases, undermine national security. As of yesterday, though, there's a lot less to worry about.

At issue are two related bills: the Senate's Protect IP Act and the even more offensive Stop Online Piracy Act in the House, both of which are generated intense opposition from tech giants and First Amendment advocates. The first sign that the bills' prospects were dwindling came Friday, when SOPA sponsors agreed to drop [http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-57358947-261/dns-provision-pulled-from-sopa-victory-for-opponents/] a key provision that would have required service providers to block access to international sites accused of piracy.

The legislation ran into an even more significant problem yesterday when the White House announced its opposition [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/us/white-house-says-it-opposes-parts-of-2-antipiracy-bills.html?_r=1&ref=us] to the bills. Though the administration's chief technology officials officials acknowledged the problem of online privacy, the White House statement presented a fairly detailed critique of the measures and concluded, "We will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet." It added that any proposed legislation "must not tamper with the technical architecture of the Internet."

Until now, the Obama administration had not taken a position on the issue. The response was published [https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petition-tool/response/combating-online-piracy-while-protecting-open-and-innovative-internet] yesterday as part of the online "We The People" petition initiative launched by the White House last year.

Though the administration did issue a formal veto threat, the White House's opposition signaled the end of these bills, at least in their current form.

A few hours later, Congress shelved SOPA [http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/204167-sopa-shelved-until-consensus-is-found], putting off action on the bill indefinitely.

House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said early Saturday morning that Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) promised him the House will not vote on the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) unless there is consensus on the bill.

"While I remain concerned about Senate action on the Protect IP Act, I am confident that flawed legislation will not be taken up by this House," Issa said in a statement. "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."

It's possible that a related version of SOPA could come back at some point down the road - though probably not this year - but for now, the push against the bill has succeeded beautifully.

That's right folks: SOPA has been indefinitely shelved.

 

[Dandark]

So does that mean it's gone?

WOOT!!!! THE INTERWEBS IS SAVED!!!

 

[Crazy]

Damn, well now its time to wait for the next "internet destroying" act to appear in a couple of years (or maybe months?).

 

[teqrevisited]

Spoiler: I feel that this is very much appropriate.

Protect IP must not be ignored though. Once they're both buried we can properly breathe a sigh of relief. Until the next one...

 

[manic_depressive13]

I'm almost a bit disappointed. I wanted to see what would happen if it passed.

 

[Spacewolf]

im going to say wait 7 months or so till they think people have forgotten and then bring it back quitely as an addition to another bill

 

[Fertro]

I seem to be the only person who knew it wasn't going to pass.

 

[craftomega]

I seem to be the only person who knew it wasn't going to pass.

I knew it would not.... because Obama said he would veto it..... How did everyone forget this?

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

Well, we are safe... for now...! It's still there though... waiting... lurking! Ready to snatch your children when you least expect it, like some crazed sex pest! Yes... SOPA is a dirty old crazed sex pest!

 

[DustyDrB]

I seem to be the only person who knew it wasn't going to pass.

I knew it would not.... because Obama said he would veto it..... How did everyone forget this?

Maybe they are like me and assume most politicians mean the opposite of what they say.

Anyway, this is good news. I assume PIPA is shelved as well, then?

 

[Debatra]

I seem to be the only person who knew it wasn't going to pass.

I knew it would not.... because Obama said he would veto it..... How did everyone forget this?

Maybe they are like me and assume most politicians mean the opposite of what they say.

Anyway, this is good news. I assume PIPA is shelved as well, then?

I haven't seen any news on PIPA. We can only hope.

Captcha: elsorytr HEERING

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

So basically.....

They're going "There is no way that SOPA is going to pass in it's current form, since so many people know about it...So we'll put it on a shelf for now and try again later when nobody cares"?

Yeah, that's a very small victory, IMO. We'll still need to keep an eye on this.

Not to mention PIPA is still in the pipeline.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

You better stay on that shelf or I'm burning down the building that shelf is in. Internet, defend your right to be who you are!

 

[C F]

Hmm, quite interesting.

Spoiler: Image: click to reveal

"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"

-Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

I expect that to take a while. Politicians aren't known for agreeing with each other. The issue isn't gone, but SOPA (for now) isn't going anywhere. Chalk one up to team Common Sense, I guess.

 

[Random Argument Man]

It was obvious that SOPA would be refused. However, WE, the Internet, should always be there to fight the good fight and make sure that piracy is properly fought. The Internet is great. Let's make sure it stays that way.

 

[thejdcole]

Ok guys, now we party like it's 1969.

 

[idarkphoenixi]

I seem to be the only person who knew it wasn't going to pass.

I knew it would not.... because Obama said he would veto it..... How did everyone forget this?

- Rejecting NDAA
- Closing Guantanamo
- Legalising Marijuana
- Raising minimum wage
- Pulling troops out of oversea occupations

These are just a few of Obamas "promises".

 

[Folji]

I seem to be the only person who knew it wasn't going to pass.

I knew it would not.... because Obama said he would veto it..... How did everyone forget this?

- Rejecting NDAA
- Closing Guantanamo
- Legalising Marijuana
- Raising minimum wage
- Pulling troops out of oversea occupations

These are just a few of Obamas "promises".

You mean politicians make promises they don't keep? I had no idea.


Also, it seemed pretty inevitable that it'd be shelfed in the end. Passing something like that in today's day and age would directly or indirectly topple so many things it's scary to think about it. Though since I live in an European country I've never really felt threatened by it other than the number of sites that'd likely shut down (permanently or until they'd manage to set up on another domain in another country). Still, go go internet freedom.

 

[Yureina]

*smiles*

Well, now we can breathe easy... for a while. :3