SOPA - The End of the Internet As We Know It

Been a while, but I won't waste time with semantics; because there is legislation in the works that will undo the idea of the internet as we know it now, and replace it with something that could be seen as a shell of the former digital universe that the web is now.

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) aims to stop piracy. It will succeed in that fashion, but given the extremely broad definitions within the legislation, let me tell you what other costly, unacceptable side effects will come along with it.

Any website that is accused of streaming or providing a link to content that is believed to be guilty of copyright infringement will can be taken down - what does this mean? This means the end of YouTube as we know it. Wikipedia, a site that any student has gone to at some point in their collegiate career, simply for providing a link to information regarding piracy and sites that had been associated, would be eligible to be taken down.

This legislation would also hold liable not only the user guilty of piracy, but the site they are believe to have gotten the information from, as well as the service provider that allowed the site to be accessed. Let's break this down a bit, we'll start with the service providers.

This will mean that service providers would be held responsible for any and ALL websites that they allow their subscribers to access. Meaning that ISPs would become responsible for monitoring every single web page that they allow us folks to access, what does that mean on the back end though? It means that the cost of doing business for every ISP in the country would sky rocket... and let me ask you, who do you think will be footing that ridiculous bill? You got it, you, me, and every internet subscriber, and we aren't talking a small rate hike here folks... think about what would be required to actively monitor EVERY site that people are allowed to access... Pissed off yet?

Now let's go over the liability of the website... We'll use YouTube for an example. YouTube would become required to inspect EVERY link, video, or submission - and anything that the copyright holder (the artist or label) claims is copyright infringement, would become disallowed. YouTube would essentially stop functioning, because what is YouTube full of, videos, lyrical song displays, video clips, etc; meaning that if Joe Shmoe in Kentucky throws decides to post his favorite new song, add some lyrics and dedicate it to Bobbi Jo; YouTube would be liable for that copy right infringement, and under SOPA, would be eligible to be taken down.

Finally on to the end user. Poor Joe Shmoe just thought he was being sweet and posting a ballad of sorts to his love; now he's being prosecuted by the federal government for copyright infringement - bad day for Joe Shmoe.

Now... should the artist or label make a claim that something is copyright infringement, and a court decides in Joe's favor, that artist and label would be responsible for all damages Joe incurred - but let's be honest, when was the last time that the little guy won in a case like that?

This act may have been born in the best of intentions with stopping piracy... but due to the incredible broadness of the legislation itself, this bill is poised to allow massive levels of control by the government.

Protect the free flow of information and access to the internet - contact your representatives in Washington and tell them where they should shove this legislation...