SOPA Dead – Lamar Smith Pulled the SOPA Bill he authored on Friday after tremendous pressure from countless sources, including Wikipedia, Google, and millions of voters!
There are two excellent TED talks I’d like to share with you and your facebook friends on the dangers of SOPA/PIPA.
https://www.ted.com/talks/
This second talk is more general about the inability for copyright law to keep up with the changes in culture brought about by the Internet. The speaker talks about how this new culture is the language of our children and how legislators focusing on content industry concerns are in effect outlawing the new culture our children are creating.
https://www.ted.com/talks/
Statement from Chairman Smith on Senate Delay of Vote on PROTECT IP Act
For Immediate Release
January 20, 2012
Contact: Kim Smith Hicks, 202-225-3951
Statement from Chairman Smith on Senate Delay of Vote on PROTECT IP Act
Washington, D.C. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today issued the following statement in response to the Senate decision to postpone consideration of legislation to help combat online piracy.
Chairman Smith: “I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy. It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products.
“The problem of online piracy is too big to ignore. American intellectual property industries provide 19 million high-paying jobs and account for more than 60 percent of U.S. exports. The theft of America’s intellectual property costs the U.S. economy more than $100 billion annually and results in the loss of thousands of American jobs. Congress cannot stand by and do nothing while American innovators and job creators are under attack.
“The online theft of American intellectual property is no different than the theft of products from a store. It is illegal and the law should be enforced both in the store and online.
“The Committee will continue work with copyright owners, Internet companies, financial institutions to develop proposals that combat online piracy and protect America’s intellectual property. We welcome input from all organizations and individuals who have an honest difference of opinion about how best to address this widespread problem. The Committee remains committed to finding a solution to the problem of online piracy that protects American intellectual property and innovation.”
The House Judiciary Committee will postpone consideration of the legislation until there is wider agreement on a solution.
