SOPA Doesn't Censor Internet, Says Rep. Lamar Smith
SOPA's biggest supporter claims the legislation will not censor the internet. Really.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that some members of Congress had switched sides to oppose the anti-piracy legislation. The news arrived while "protests blanketed the Internet" as websites visually displayed their stance against SOPA and PIPA whether it was a simple link to anti-SOPA material, or a complete website blackout. Even one game developer launched a non-profit organization to protest against the ESA which in turn supports the legislation instead of the wishes of the enlisted "artists" and "content providers" it supposedly protects.
All the while, several sponsors of the legislation, including Senators Roy Blunt, Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch and John Boozman and Marco Rubio, announced their withdrawal of support for the legislation. Reports indicated that their sudden turn was due to pressure stemming from critics of the bill. But some of them openly blamed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for rushing the Senate version of the bill (PIPA, or the Protect IP Act). Blunt said the legislation is "deeply flawed," while both Rubio and Boozman cited "unintended consequences" that could stem from the proposed law. Still, all those that formerly opposed the legislation said they still supported taking action against online piracy.
After reports surfaced about the rejection, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) issued a statement in response, acknowledging that many people may be nervous due to the "misinformation" about the bill, but pronounced his own confidence in the facts which will overcome their fears. Eventually he states that the legislation -- SOPA in particular -- will not censor the Internet despite reports.
"Contrary to critics’ claims, SOPA does not censor the Internet," he states. "It only targets activity that is already illegal, and only targets foreign websites that steal and sell America’s technology, inventions and products. And it is similar to laws that already govern websites based in the U.S."
"I am open to constructive suggestions that protect American inventors and intellectual property rights holders," he continues. "Unfortunately, some critics simply want to maintain the status quo which harms U.S. companies, consumers and innovators. Illegal piracy and counterfeiting cost the U.S. economy $100 billion and thousands of jobs every year. Congress cannot stand by and do nothing while some of America’s most profitable and productive industries are under attack."
"We need strong and effective legislation to protect American technology and put foreign thieves out of business," he concludes. "I will continue to work to address legitimate concerns and encourage members and stakeholders to provide substantive recommendations for how best to address the problem of online theft."
Chairman Smith said that Congress will continue to work with members, outside organizations and stakeholders to reach consensus and produce "strong legislation that protects both intellectual property and technology."
- LG Intros Its First LTE Tablet, the Optimus Pad LTE
- Apple Announces iBooks 2 with $14.99 Textbooks
- Samsung's New Phones to Go All Day with One Charge
- AT&T Intros Data Plans With Higher Limits, Higher Prices
- BioWare to Release Mass Effect 3 Demo on Valentine's Day
- CyanogenMod 9 Delivers Ice Cream Sandwich to HP TouchPad
- A Scorned George Lucas is Retiring from Hollywood
- PlayStation Vita Sales Continue to Plummet in Japan
- Google Tests Secure Login with QR Codes
- Kodak Officially Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
- Anonymous Strikes Back: Hits MPAA, RIAA, DoJ, More
- Megaupload Staff Arrested for Copyright Infringement
- Sony Confused, Says 3DS Success a "Good Sign"
- Verisonix Demos Its Flexible, Cardboard-Thin Speakers
- MiVeu Turns Your iPhone Into a Personal POV Sporting Camera
- Both SOPA and PIPA Shelved Due to Recent Events
- ESA Drops SOPA Support; Gamers, Developers Rejoice
- Microsoft Pushing WA State to Legalize Gay Marriage
- Foxconn Backtracks on "Workers Are Animals" Comparison
How about add some due process to the bill not sweeping authority to shutdonw/blacklist websites at a companies request with no recourse..
Finally a voice of reason.
Not.
SOPA/PIPA won't censor or limit the internet in the same way that the NDAA will not affect American citizens, which is: unless they want it to.
"Congress cannot stand by and do nothing while some of America’s most profitable and productive industries are under attack."
that line says it all.
We know the companies that are on your pocket, you and everyone on those seats are not there to work for those companies, you are there to work for the USA, you are there to protect OUR rights, not the Billions of a few.
Some of those in the US Govt who support the bill, HAVE ILLEGAL content on their own websites, twitter and facebook pages.
These bills also seek to put people in jail.
With the SOPA/PIPA setup the way they are now, twitter and facebook would be blacklisted.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas). Ah the good old state you Americans dug George W Bush from, explains a lot really when both of these two have difficulty tying their own show laces.
"SOPA Doesn't Censor Internet", Says Rep. Lamar Smith
LIAR!
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas). Ah the good old state you Americans dug George W Bush from, explains a lot really when both of these two have difficulty tying their own show laces.
LOL and some people can't spell shoe laces
"Congress cannot stand by and do nothing while some of America’s most profitable and productive industries are under attack."that line says it all.We know the companies that are on your pocket, you and everyone on those seats are not there to work for those companies, you are there to work for the USA, you are there to protect OUR rights, not the Billions of a few.
in theory...
But sadly the reality is they are there to protect money, primarily their own campaign money.
Here's a little test. If, as the Senator claims,
Oh, but it's not that simple, he'll say. The economy depends on so many variables. Then maybe that $100 Billion figure is wrong - or inflated to produce FUD.
Plus, how many little riders are going to get added to the tail of this one? The reality today is that the bills and laws get so much added to them that Congressmen couldn't read all of it if that's all they did. That, on top of seriously flawed legislation, is a killer.
it effectively creates an internet blacklist... how is that not censorship?
people will just use outside DNS and Proxies to get around the blocks anyways so whats the point? Will I get thrown in jail for using a proxy to access a blacklisted site?!
Koga73: Your average user doesn't know how to do that... it means that websites WOULD go down.
I have a website... with this law, if someone posted a picture from a TV show on the site - my site could be taken down. Twitter would be illegal... because people constantly send copyrighted materials back and forth - innocently. Like the cartoon drawing of the BILL at the top of this article, could get you / twitter in trouble.
And yes, jail time is involved.
Look at what the Chinese think of SOPA... it is censorship.
By all means, go after the those who pirate movies and games, whatever.
But in truth, this is hollywood who paid for these bills - and they pirate themselves.
100$ Billion figure is complete bullshit.
Isn't it amazing how these idiots in DC can support a bill they're never sat down and read? I wonder how much he's being paid to support it.
All the protesters against SOPA never said they like piracy. They are protesting overriding power for government to pull the plug on anything without the need for evidence and chance for defence of the accused. So whichever hillbilly redneck representative supporting such a bill clearly does not feel the rights of US citizens should be protected.
I'm sure we should believe some Congressional lawyer over Google, Wikipedia, Yahoo, AOL and other internet providers. Obviously these congressmen know the truth of it.
The bill does not (this is political double speak) the government, including this twit, will using the bill will.
I wish politicians were liable for their votes and words. We would be suing left and right (puns intended).
$100 billion? Care to demonstrate that? Assuming $10/movie ticket (probably one of the more common and expensive things pirated are movies) that would be 10 billion customers per year. Now, I am not positive... but I dont think there are 10 billion downloads or 10 billion active moviegoers in any given year from the US.
Hell, even if you go the extreme expensive route and say they are all video games at $60/piece thats 1,666,666,666 downloads EACH year? That is the equivalent of every single man/woman/child alive in america downloading more than 5 games each year. This also assumes that every single man/woman/child was actually going to buy those specific 5 games that year. Beginning to see how outlandish this number is?
Yea, piracy is an issue, but SOPA was not the way to do it. The way to do it, is to to what they have been doing and try to enforce laws already in place. The laws in place are enough to stop things with due process.
Assuming that figure is accurate, if piracy was 100% stopped tomorrow, there isn't $100 billion in spare cash for people to buy legitimately.
People pirate because the cost of paying for it is too much and if they can't illegally download it they will just not have it.
Probably isn't even computer literate.
Every time a politician wants to lie he/she talks about the people, the country and the bad guys who want to harm the people and the country. This is common in most politicians in all the countries.
I'm against this but can understand why a lot companies are for this. a lot it has to with copyright and intellectual property. How would you like to spend millions of dollars and have a business just for Joe blow to steal it.
The Feds busted Megaupload, and they didn't need SOPA.
Lamar Smith. A name to put on my complete fucking retard list.
I'm against this but can understand why a lot companies are for this. a lot it has to with copyright and intellectual property. How would you like to spend millions of dollars and have a business just for Joe blow to steal it.
Nope, this is about a handful of people trying to get the legal means to have any website that they don't like shut down.
Lets say I don't like your news site because you're accusing me of corruption, I could have an "agent" plant illegal content on your news website and have you then shut down.
See where this is going?
it effectively creates an internet blacklist... how is that not censorship?people will just use outside DNS and Proxies to get around the blocks anyways so whats the point? Will I get thrown in jail for using a proxy to access a blacklisted site?!
The problem goes beyond simply blocking the DNS name, they could demand the actual IPs get blocked, by ISPs/Backbone providers. Using an international proxy would not only be very inconvenient but it would probably be extremely slow. For that matter those proxies could get blocked under the same laws.
I want to put a big thorny dildo up this guy ass
"SOPA doesn't censor internet" just like "Guns don't kill people".
If only there were a politician that could think one step ahead...
What a moron!
guns don't kill people. people do. did stalin, mao, hitler, etc. shoot every single person with a gun.
Guns enable people to kill others. Politics enable people to be greedy, you know, 'poly' is the root of many words, like politics. 'Poly' meaning many, and 'tics' meaning blood sucking parasites.