I’ve blacked out MatthewBogart.net and my blog TheDaysAreLongAndShort.com to try and raise awareness about SOPA and PIPA, two pieces of legislation that are nearing becoming law in the US.
While these bills may be well meaning, the way they are set up, they could potentially destroy the internet as we know it.
I’m not trying to be overly dramatic.
If these become law, it would allow the entertainment industry to block virtually any website they choose from appearing on any computer in the US for simply posting a link to copyrighten material.
For instance: remember that link I posted several years ago to a song I found on some singer songwriters blog? I liked the song and wanted to share it. Well it turns out that song had a verse lifted from another song that a large media company owns. They would have the power to shut down not only the singer songwriters site, but mine as well. Forever.
This is not a power that big media needs. It’s an abuse of power and we have to do everything we can to stop them.
