The Internet is one of the United States' most robust and growing industries. It enables free open communication among billions and the backbone of protests around the world. But a new bill proposes we get the power to censor the Internet to the Entertainment Industry, it's called Protect IP and here's how it works.
Private Corporations want the ability to shutdown unauthorized sites where people download movies, tv shows, and music. Since most of these sites are outside U.S. jurisdiction Protect IP uses a couple different tactics within American borders. Firstly it gives the Government the power to make U.S. Internet Providers (ISP's) block access to infringing domain names, they can also sue U.S. based Search Engines, directories, or even blogs, and porns to have links to these sites removed.
Secondly Protect IP gives Corporations and the Government the ability to cut off funds to infringing websites by having U.S. based advertisers and payment services cancel those accounts. In a nutshell that's what Protect IP will try to do, but in all likelihood it will be something else altogether. For starters it won't stop downloaders, you'll still be able to access a blocked site just by entering it's IP address instead of it's name.
But what Protect IP will do is cripple new startups because it also lets companies sue any site they feel isn't doing their filtering well enough, these lawsuits could easily bankrupt new search engines and social media sites. And Protect IP's wording is ambiguous enough to important social media sites (ex: YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter) could become targets. Lots of trailblazing websites could look like piracy havens to the wrong judge.
Tumbler, Soundcloud, YouTube, and wherever people express themselves that make art, broadcast news, or organized protests. There's plenty of TV footage, movie clips, and copyrighted music mixed in. And even If you trust the U.S. Government not to abuse their new power to censor the net what about the countries that follow in our path and pass similiar laws. People around the world will have very different internets and unscrewculus governments will have powerful tools to hinder free expression.
But perhaps most dangerously, Protect IP will meddle with the inner workings of the net. Experts believe by fiddling with the webs registering of domain names the result will be less security and less stability. In short Protect IP won't stop piracy but it will introduce vast potential for censorship in abuse making the web less safe and less reliable. This is the Internet we're talking about, it's a vital and vibrant medium!
Our Government is tampering with it's basic structure so that maybe people will buy more Hollywood movies, don't get grassroots candidates elected, they don't overthrow corrupt regimes, and the entire Entertainment Industry doesn't even contribute that much to our economy. The Internet does all these and more. Corporations already have tools to fight piracy, they have the power to take down specific content, to sue software companies like Napster, Audiogalaxy, etc. out of existence, and to sue journalists just for talking about how to copy a DVD.
They have a history of stretching and abusing their powers, they tried to take a baby video off YouTube just for copyrighted music playing in the background. These illegal penalties written for large scale commercial piracy go after families and children. They even sued the companies behind the first VCR and mp3 players. So the question is how far will they take all this? The answer at this point is obvious. As far as we'll let them.
Since we made this video, the PROTECT IP bill has gotten much worse and is set up for quick passage. Now the government and corporations could block any site, foreign or domestic, just for one infringing link. Sites like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook would have to censor their users or get shut down since they become liable for everything users post. And ordinary users could go to jail for 5 years for posting copyrighted work - even just singing a pop song.
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FightForTheFuture.org/pipa
