The coordinated congressional bills Stop Online Piracy and Protect Intellectual Property acts would allow the U.S. government more freedom with penalizing copyright infringers. Some websites, notably Wikipedia and Reddit, are joining together for a self-imposed blackout to oppose the bills. The legislation has created an outpouring of opposition from not only websites, but legal experts, media organizations and members of the technology industry.
While the Daily Nebraskan recognizes the importance of copyright, it does not support these acts in their present form.
Preventing the free flow of information on the Web is not the answer to protecting copyright.
The acts could drastically limit creativity online. If such censorship is permitted by the government, it will be difficult to see where a line can be drawn. Any website, including social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, are at risk of being shut down.
Facebook could be hurt simply because one user posted something with copyright infringement. Such sites without editorial oversight should not be punished for the content of its users.
SOPA sets a dangerous precedent of the government being able to shut down or hinder a website. It's threatening the very essence in which the Internet matured.
With these acts, a day without Wikipedia could become a lifetime without Wikipedia. And then, how will you ever do your homework?
opinion@dailynebraskan.com
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