Introduction
The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), also known as House Bill 3261 or H.R. 3261, is a bill that was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on October 26, 2011, by House Judiciary Committee Chair Representative Lamar S. Smith (R-TX).
Further information: SOPA in Wikipedia.
The full text of the Bill (Library of Congress) is also available at Scribd: Stop Online Piracy Act and the PROTECT IP Act.
It is useful to analyse this act closely because it is causing a lot of controversy, and because it may have an impact also for foreign customers of, and service providers to U.S. Citizens.
In particular, it may infringe Article 19. Freedom of opinion & expression; to seek & receive information of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Objective
To promote prosperity, creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation by combating the theft of U.S. property, and for other purposes.
Parties
U.S. institutions and citizens, and their foreign customers and service providers making use of the Internet.
Issues
- There is a lot of controversy about this Act, as can be observed from http://storify.com/topics/sopa-pipa
- The European Parliament resolution on the EU-US Summit of 28 November 2011 Stresses the need to protect the integrity of the global internet and freedom of communication by refraining from unilateral measures to revoke IP addresses or domain names (par. 25)
Comments
Stop Online Piracy Act
- Sec. 101. Definitions
- Sec. 102(a),(b) Action by the Attorney General
- Sec. 102(c)(1),(2) Reasonable Measures (A) Service Providers
- Sec. 102(c)(2)(B) Internet Search Engines
- Sec. 102(c)(2)(C) Payment Network Providers
- Sec. 102(c)(2)(D) Internet advertising services
- Sec. 102(c)(3),(4) Enforcement of orders
- Sec. 102(c)(5) Immunity
- Sec. 102(d) Modification or Vacation of Orders
- Sec. 103(a) MARKET-BASED SYSTEM ... - Definitions
- Sec. 103(b) Denying U.S. Financial Support of Sites Dedicated to Theft of U.S. Property
- Sec. 103(c) Limited Injunctive Relief in Cases of Counter Notification
- Sec. 103(d) Actions Based on Court Orders
- Sec 103(e) Modification or Vacation of Orders
- Sec. 103(f) Amended Orders
- Sec. 103(g) Reporting of Orders
- Sec. 104. Immunity for taking voluntary action against sites dedicated to theft of U.S. Property
- Sec. 105. Immunity for taking voluntary action against sites that endanger public health
- Sec. 106. Guidelines and study
- Sec. 107. Denying U.S. capital to notorious foreign infringers
- Sec. 201(a) STREAMING OF COPYRIGHTED WORKS IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL LAW - Title 17 Amendments
- Sec. 201(b) Title 18 Amendments
- Sec. 201(c) Rule of Construction
- Sec. 202. Traficking in inherently dangerous goods or services
- Sec. 203. Protecting U.S. business from foreign and economic espionage
- Sec. 204. Amendments to sentencing guidelines
- Sec. 205.a DEFENDING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ABROAD - Resources to Protect IPR
- Sec. 205(b) New Appointments
- Sec. 205(c) Priority Assignments
- Sec. 205(d) Training -- (h) Reports to Congress
- Sec. 205(i) Definitions, (j) Authorization of Appropriations
Read also Remembering Aaron Swartz (by John Schwartz and Robert Mackey, January 12, 2013).
Jan Goossenaerts
@collaboratewiki
See http://www.facebook.com/DigitalAgenda and ACTA.
Jan Goossenaerts
@collaboratewiki
Seven Lessons from SOPA/PIPA/Megaupload and Four Proposals on Where We Go From Here (January 25, 2012)
Jan Goossenaerts
@collaboratewiki
See the article by Liz Dwyer (January 18, 2012) at GOOD Education.
It includes references to a Concerned Educators Letter to Congress.
Jan Goossenaerts
@collaboratewiki
Here a Khan Academy video explaining SOPA and PIPA: http://www.khanacademy.org/video/sopa-and-pipa focussing especially on:
Jan Goossenaerts
@collaboratewiki
The official White House response (January 14, 2012) to a petition requesting the President to Veto the SOPA bill highlights these principles:
Jan Goossenaerts
@collaboratewiki