Tuesday, January 24, 2012 twitter.com/@msureporter
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Minnesota State University, Mankato
WEDNESDAY
H 22 • L 14
THURSDAY
H 30 • L 22
Imagine a world without free knowledge. SOPA, PIPA and what they mean for the future of the internet STEVEN VANG
staff writer House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar S. Smith (R-Texas) first introduced the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) on Oct. 26 and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced the Protection IP Act (PIPA) last May. Both bills focus on the facilitation of the internet with government intervention and regulations set in place to protect security, intellectual properties and online businesses. SOPA originally granted the power to block websites that was deemed illegal, particularly international websites. An amendment has been made on January 13 in which the House Judiciary Committee has removed a clause which bans Domain Name Systems (DNS) from the internet if it was suspected of violations. Other issues SOPA addressed were targeted at funding and distribution websites which were designed to protect American businesses and provide a more competitive edge. Among copyright laws business operations, section 105 of the SOPA bill also addresses non-prescription and misbranded medication distributions. Collaboration from the Secretary of State, Department of Commerce and the Register of
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Copyrights are just a few of the enforcers required to stopping online piracy. The Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representative will then act as the judge and central supervisor to monitor violations of SOPA once it is enacted. First time offenders can be fined up to $2 million or be imprisoned for up to 10 years and fined up to $5 million or be imprisoned for up to 20 years for additional offenses. Since its introduction, the SOPA bill has received mixed criticisms from people throughout the world. Many web bloggers, particularly those from China, have been closely observing and commenting on two extreme spectrums. Some bloggers applaud the right of American citizens to track the process of new policies while others mock the minimal severity of censorship in comparison to China and, in retrospect, to American criticisms when Google started doing business in China nearly half a decade ago. Major criticism arose from around the world about U.S. Government power and control through the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act which increases the allocation into the Army, Navy,
Marine Corps, Air Force and “Defense-wide activities” which states that “Congress affirms that the authority of the President to use all necessary and appropriate force pursuant to the Authorization for use of Military Force includes the authority for the Armed Forces of the United States to detain covered persons pending disposition under the law of war.” The National Defense Authorization Act defines a covered person as “A person who was a part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners, including any person who has committed • web photo a belligerent act or has directly supported such hostilities in aid Congress support of SOPA and PIPA dropped overnight after an internet protest shut down sites like Wikipedia, Tumblr and Mozilla. of such enemy forces.” The specific cause of why Free Knowledge.” Google cenSopaStrike.com confirmed many Americans are fearful sored its name where if clicked that more than 180 websites of SOPA, PIPA and the Naparticipated in the January on, it led users to information tional Defense Authorization 18th strike. Among those about how to contact their state Act combining together can be listed are U.S. Representative representatives and provided an observed by the clause under Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and option to sign a petition against section 1021c of the National U.S. Representative Anna G. SOPA. Defense Authorization Act Eshoo (D-CA) along with giant As an example of what antistating that disposition under internet corporations such as SOPA supporters implied as the Law of War would include Google, Wikipedia, Tumblr and outlook of the abuse of power “detention under the Law of Mozilla. that can occur if SOPA and War without trial until the end Attempts to access WikipePIPA passed on Jan. 19 the of the hostilities authorized by dia’s information database led US Department of Justice shut the Authorization for Use of users to a blackened screen tiMilitary Force.” tled “Imagine a World Without SOPA-PIPA / page 8
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