SOPA and PIPA

Lately, a lot of major websites such as Wikipedia, has been posting appeals on not supporting SOPA and PIPA bills be passed as laws in the US Congress and Senate. Even Google itself is appealing to the public not to support the bills.


What is SOPA and PIPA?
SOPA or Stop Online Piracy Act and PIPA or Protect IP Act ("IP" stands for Intelectual Property) are bills passed by American legislators to topple Piracy and protect Intellectual Property from infringement committed by foreign websites. 


How will this bills be able to do what they say so?
If the bills pass as laws, the US government will be able to require web providers to filter any information that could give them power to require web providers to block any of their subscribers that they think is violating the said laws. 


How will this affect the IT World?
The bills states that any media wherein is using other people's intellectual property, like simply posting a video singing a pop song will allow the owner of the said intellectual property able to sue the said media uploader for copyright infringement that could end to imprisonment. And as for web providers such as Youtube and social network websites, where they also claim liable to their subscribers actions could have a posibility of being shutdown. 


I don't live in the US, why should I care?
The effect is world wide. One reason is most web providers are stationed in the US. Second, this could be a start of a world wide revolution. Other countries may follow what the US have started. Imagine the web being controlled by people that could have their own goals. Freedom of expression through the web being neglected. 


The bottom line is...
SOPA and PIPA have good goals, however, it affects so much to the whole IT world, either to the business or social network communities. Affects that must not just be taken lightly. Right now, the bill is seemed to be progressing well. If you don't like the impact of this soon to be laws, then express yourself. Either you live in American soil or not, you may share it to other people for them to know. Think of it, a life without freedom of expression. Is that what you want?