[IRP] Silicon Valley tech giants unite against piracy bill

[michael gurstein]

Good Morning Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley tech giants unite against piracy bill

By Mike Murphy <mailto:mmurphy at bayareanewsgroup.com> 
Google
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/fjdqhjyfggqwnlsrwbznswcftcwqpzt
npbjzlpjdqdyygyj_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  and some of Silicon Valley's biggest
companies are leading the charge against the Stop Online Piracy Act
currently making its way through Congress.
The bill, which counts the Recording Industry Association of America and
Motion Picture Industry of America among its backers, is aimed at cracking
down on Internet piracy of copyrighted materials. Critics say they support
the spirit of the bill, but say it overreaches and would allow the
government to not just go after users posting illegal material, but shut
down the websites, online advertising networks and online payment systems
they use.
In a blog post
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/mnwwynpkbbwldvqsltgdqlzkmzlwjgm
djtngvjncwcppbpd_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  Wednesday, Google Director of Public
Policy Pablo Chavez said the bill "would threaten innovation, jobs, and free
expression." Eight big tech companies - Facebook
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/wwjfvgjynnfbsmlzbwqslbtyktbfhqk
shwgqmhgdfdjjnjn_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html> , Yahoo
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/gknwgrmhllwdtpyndkqtydjhsjdwfqs
tfkrqpfrcwcmmlmn_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html> , Twitter
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/drdghcjnddgfmwpsfrkmpflnzlfgbkz
mbrckwbctgtjjdjj_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html> , eBay
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/atybdhlwttbnpgksnyzpknvwrvnbczr
pcyhzgchmbmllsbb_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html> , AOL, LinkedIn
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/rtnjnglqttjpvbrwpkfvrphqyhpjsfy
vskgfbsgcjcllwjc_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html> , Mozilla and Zynga
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/tmzwhvpgmmwkcrzjkbfczkdgsdkwtfs
ctbvfrtvlwlppjwz_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  - joined Google in petitioning
lawmakers
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/pchfjmvsccfblkqdbytlqbrswrbfgtw
lgymtkgmhfhvvdfj_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  to express their deep concerns with the
legislation. Testifying on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Google counsel
Katherine Oyama said
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/orffjwqvrrfdlnzmdkglzdcvscdfpgs
lpkwgnpwtftqqmfk_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  "the bill sets a precedent in favor of
Internet censorship and could jeopardize our nation's cybersecurity."
The tech industry faces tough odds: CNet notes
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/skpjvmpdssjtkhrltcfkrtzdwztjgfw
kgcmfhgmbjbppljm_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  that Oyama is the only opponent of the
bill invited to testify, and SOPA's backers include a wide range of both
Democratic and Republican legislators. Supporters of the bill reportedly
will argue
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/xbsghrcmjjgtbqvstplbvtnmkntgylk
byprlqyrdgdccsgb_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  it will save jobs related to the
entertainment industry.
PC World reports
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/xbjghrcmjjgtbqvstplbvtnmkntgylk
byprlqyrdgdccsgj_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html> Silicon Valley Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a
Democrat, is working with Republican Rep. Darrell Issa to propose
alternative legislation that would use the International Trade Commission's
patent infringement process as a model to set up a system to investigate
copyright-infringement complaints. "The implications for our economy, for
innovation, and for job creation would be dire," Lofgren said. Lofgren and
Peninsula Congresswoman Anna Eshoo have also signed a letter
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/qffnsgdbppntfrwhtvqfwtjbyjtncqy
fcvgqrcgmnmddhnh_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  to Judiciary Committee leaders urging
them to consider the chilling effects the bill could have on small
businesses, startups and venture capital funding.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/wsgfvgjynnfbsmlzbwqslbtyktbfhqk
shwgqmhgdfdjjzfj_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html> has also come out strongly opposed to
the bill, calling it "the worst piece of IP legislation we've seen in the
last decade," saying it violates due process and by effectively creating a
blacklist, would sabotage the domain name system.
Judicial Committee Chairman Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.), dismisses the
criticism, according to the Washington Post
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/mtywynpkbbwldvqsltgdqlzkmzlwjgm
djtngvjncwcppscw_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html> : "Because this bill focuses on illegal
activity, legitimate and lawful American businesses should have nothing to
worry about."
But Harvard Business School fellow James Allworth says web companies should
worry, telling the BBC
<http://click1.newsletters.siliconvalley.com/bjldfgztccdyqmlbyjkqlystvsydnkv
qnjgkmngpdpzzbpp_pmmyvjhcjhhl.html>  the bill "contains provisions that will
chill innovation. It contains provisions that will tinker with the
fundamental fabric of the Internet. It gives private corporations the power
to censor. And best of all, it bypasses due legal process to do much of it."
The fight over this bill is worth keeping an eye on as it develops, if not
for the civil liberties being debated than for the billions of dollars
potentially at stake.
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