Piracy raises discussion over SOPA and PIPA

The fight against piracy has been a constant topic in the American Congress, as lobbyists have been struggling to find a way to gain back the profit that should be earned by copyright from movies, music, and other digital content. However, the bills known as SOPA and PIPA brought up another face to the debate, as the way they are written can imply censorship to the Internet.

Online Protest

While the virtual community had not yet risen its voice about the subject, congressmen had more freedom to discuss matters in a way that could end up being more profitable for themselves. However, things changed this Wednesday (18). With the Wikipedia page blacked-out and the Google page with a censored symbol over its logo, Internet users mobilized to fight for their online freedom.

Within hours the topic was all around Facebook postings, and not only on the American version. As contacts began sharing links and comments, users from all around the world engaged to the cause. After all, if the bills are approved, Internet will be different on a worldwide scale. As many websites around the world are hosted by American companies, the legislation will be according to the United States’.

The Republican View

One of the first reactions to the online protest came from Senator John Cornyn, the Texas Republican who was leading the campaign for his party. On his Facebook profile, Cornyn said that it was “better to get this done right rather than fast and wrong. Stealing content is theft, plain and simple, but concerns about unintended damage to the Internet and innovation in the tech sector require a more thoughtful balance, which will take more time.”

Another Republican congressmen is Marco Rubio, who also posted on his Facebook page that “as a senator from Florida, a state with a large presence of artists, creators and businesses connected to the creation of intellectual property, I have a strong interest in stopping online piracy that costs Florida jobs. However, we must do this while simultaneously promoting an open, dynamic Internet environment that is ripe for innovation and promotes new technologies.”