Irony? SOPA, PIPA supporters blast Internet blackout
(CBS) - In a bizarre twist to today's Internet strike, a handful of critics are blasting websites for staging a blackout of the web.
Full coverage of SOPA, PIPA at Tech Talk
Former senator and chief executive officer of the Motion Pictures Association of America Chris Dodd came out against Internet companies partaking in protests against controversial U.S. anti-piracy legislation.
The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) pit Hollywood against the Silicon Valley in a battle between anti-piracy legislation and web innovation.
"It is an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on them for information and who use their services,'' Dodd said in a statement."It is also an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today."
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Rep. Lamar Smith, sponsor of the bill, was not amused with the effort by Google and Wikipedia to draw attention to the SOPA.
"It is ironic that a website dedicated to providing information is spreading misinformation about the Stop Online Piracy Act. The bill will not harm Wikipedia, domestic blogs or social networking sites," Rep. Smith said in a statement. "This publicity stunt does a disservice to its users by promoting fear instead of facts. Perhaps during the blackout, Internet users can look elsewhere for an accurate definition of online piracy."
It's ironic that if SOPA or PIPA gets passed, those very sites are at risk of being shut down - not just for a day. Let's consider the case of Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons.
"The bill would allow corporations, organizations, or the government to order an internet service provider to block an entire website simply due to an allegation that the site posted infringing content," Wikipedia said in a statement.
One of the main points made by Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe is that "an entire Web site containing tens of thousands of pages could be targeted if only a single page were accused of infringement."
Although, lawmakers have made some compromises, like shelving the Domain Naming System blocking provision, the bills are not dead. PIPA heads to the senate for a vote on Jan. 24. According to a statement released by Smith, SOPA will continue markup in Feb.
