SOPA and PIPA

Mary Beth LursenEmily Melvin

Copyright• Copyright: (n.) : the exclusive

legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something (as a literary, musical, or artistic work)

• Having a copyright means that you can do whatever you want with something artistic that you have created.

Piracy•Piracy (n.): the unauthorized

use of another's production, invention, or conception especially in infringement of a copyright

• It’s using something that you don’t have the rights to for your own purpose.

What is SOPA?•The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)

was proposed by House Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX).

• It was intended to stop the trafficking of copyrighted goods from online sites and the people who use them.

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBtr4aZtmrQ

What is PIPA?• The Preventing Real Online Threats

to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act or PROTECT IP Act, but better known as PIPA.

• Proposed by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), this act was created to stop copyright infringement from international sites.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjxmI3khde4

The Internet Fights Back

• On January 18th, 2012, Wikipedia, Reddit, Tumblr, and an estimated 7,000 other smaller websites had a service blackout to raise awareness.

• Instead of the websites being available to users, many offered ways to spread the word or contact a representative with their disapproval.

• Google got seven million signatures on a petition opposing the acts.

• In response to the blackout, the House of Representatives decided to postpone SOPA until they have wider agreement on a solution for stopping piracy.

•The Senate also decided to postpone a vote on PIPA until issues with the bill were resolved.

What are your thoughts?

•Had you even heard of these acts?•Should the government DO

something like this, or is it infringing on our freedom of speech?

• If a law like this is passed, does the government have the resources to enforce it? Is this even possible?

**No copyright infringements were committed in the making of this presentation.**

• Definitions of copyright and piracy: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copyright and http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piracy

• Information on SOPA and PIPA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PROTECT_IP_Act

• Pictures from the black out: http://motleynews.net/2012/01/18/the-great-internet-black-out-has-commenced/

• Stop SOPA icon: http://emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/sopapipa-whats-up-with-that/

• Venn Diagram: http://www.erikjheels.com/803.html