Is it off topic? I don't know. I suspect if the Stop Online Privacy
Act (SOPA) and its Senate counterpart, the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in
the USA goes through, it will affect all of us on the web, worldwide.
Which is why some websites are going offline for a day on 18th
January in protest, showing a message about the legislation instead.
Can ebay still trade if they cannot ascertain that every single
picture and description has copyright clearance and that 100% of the
goods on sale are not counterfeit? Can Amazon? If Google provides a
single link to a site with a single counterfeit picture, or piece of
written text or offer of bogus goods and services it will be in
contravention. Will a news or consumer website be able even to report
about such matters?
Unless a US website can guarantee that 100% of its content has
copyright clearance it will be a risky business having a US website.
Hyperlinks to other sites will pretty much have to disappear - unless
you can guarantee that every site you link to will also be 100%
squeaky clean and will remain so for as long as your link is in place.
Web sites outside the US found to contravene US law will be put on a
blacklist and excluded from US search engines.
A pretty impressive list of US businesses are eager for this
legislation. It may well get passed.
If you are in the US, can you write to whomsoever you should write to
and get this bill thrown out please.
John S
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