Politics

SOPA Put on Hold, White House Says Online Piracy Bill ‘Reduces Freedom of Expression’

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which has already seen widespread opposition from a bipartisan mix of liberal and conservative political blogs and websites, appears to have found a coalition of opposition in Washington for the moment. The Hill reports that House Oversight Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa said early Saturday morning that Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor promised him that the House will not vote on the controversial act unless there is a consensus on the bill. Resistance from Republican leadership in the House to the bill as it is now comes as the Obama administration raised concerns Saturday that the act would undermine “the dynamic, innovative global Internet.”

The Hill notes that Rep. Issa’s announcement was made just hours after Judiciary Chairman Rep. Lamar Smith, SOPA’s sponsor, made a major concession to the bill’s critics by agreeing to drop a controversial provision that would have required Internet service providers to block infringing websites.

“While I remain concerned about Senate action on the Protect IP Act (PIPA), I am confident that flawed legislation will not be taken up by this House,” Rep. Issa, who has close ties with the technology community and has been an outspoken critic to SOPA, said in a statement Saturday. PIPA is SOPA’s Senate counterpart.

“Majority Leader Cantor has assured me that we will continue to work to address outstanding concerns and work to build consensus prior to any anti-piracy legislation coming before the House for a vote.”

White House officials said in a blog post Saturday that the administration would not support pending legislation that “reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk” or undermines the global Internet, cautioning the measure could discourage innovation and startup businesses.

SOPA was designed with the intent to authorize the Attorney General to seek a court order against foreign websites that commit online privacy by freely offering illegal copies of music, movies and TV shows. However, tech companies like Google, Facebook, Yahoo and others have questioned the legislation, warning in a Nov. 15 letter that it would force new liabilities and mandates on law-abiding technology companies and require them to monitor websites, the Associated Press reports.

“We are concerned that these measures pose a serious risk to our industry’s continued track record of innovation and job-creation, as well as to our nation’s cybersecurity,” the letter stated.

A House Oversight Committee hearing to examine the bill’s site-blocking provision had been scheduled for Wednesday but is now postponed in light of Smith’s decision to drop the provision.

Issa said that even without the site-blocking provision, the bill is “fundamentally flawed.”

The White House says it will continue to work with Congress on legislation to help battle piracy and counterfeiting while defending free expression, privacy, security and innovation in the Internet.

UPDATE: News Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch has been vehemently expressing his opinion of those who support SOPA via Twitter this evening:

SOPA Put on Hold, White House Speaks Out Against Bill

Comments (71)

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  • ThoreauHD
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:36am

    Natural law trumps the greed of an old man. Knowledge can not be owned, no matter how many bills you pass.

    Report Post » ThoreauHD  
    • WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges07
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 3:46am

      THIS WHOLE THING IS A MAJOR LIE (and hope you enjoyed the puppet show) :

      “Be a HERO and Help STOP SOPA Now!! I’ll tell you How!”
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJIuYgIvKsc

      Report Post » WeDontNeedNoSteenkinBadges07  
    • Ballot_Box_Revolution
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:45am

      Wow did the White House do something right?? But they don’t need it anymore. The intent was not to protect, it was to control….and they got a much better bill to do that….so they can go against this bill to make themselves somewhat favorable….The bill that gives the government authority to spy on anyone who is a journalist/blogger or uses social media…does much more for them…..so they can afford to let this one go for some favor points…..

      Report Post » Ballot_Box_Revolution  
    • hypnos
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:11am

      I agree the administration is using this another PR /reelection moment.

      Report Post » hypnos  
  • wntsmallgov
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 11:54pm

    another post bytes the dust in PC world of no 1st Amendment rights. alll well —–HI DHS…………

    Report Post » wntsmallgov  
  • wntsmallgov
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 11:52pm

    So, The New NSA Laws on Terrorism and the holding of American Citizen does not count? The Power to turn off the internet, like Iran, and other dictatorships, is ok? The DHS trolling for information on the net about people who do not like obama,….HI DHS…….so it can be used in the future against them. The fact that cameras are going up on corners around the country does not concern the government about freedom of movement in this country. The war is here and we are losing people. WE need to hold our POLY TICKS responsible. HI DHS…………..
    It is sad day in America when a terrorist is now the average American for having propane tanks for their grill, a cell phone for their everyday use and left over wires from doing electrical work on their homes…………. HI DHS you can tell the bull **** of a boss that we are not impressed.

    Report Post » wntsmallgov  
  • RightThinking1
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 11:12pm

    For the sake of argument, let’s say that you produce some copyrighted material, book, music, whatever. It is how you make your living. It is how you feed your children, pay your rent, etc, etc.
    How then would you feel about having your material stolen and distributed for free?

    Report Post »  
    • sane_man
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 11:15pm

      Right – it’s a good point of thought. It’s frankly anti-business, anti-family, and anti-working American to not care at all about online piracy and far worse to steal things on the internet and think you have a right. I work for a company that has it’s products stolen every day. It effects what we can pay and it affects the families who work for the company in every aspect of their lives. To claim to support business and then not give rat’s arse about piracy is just hypocritical – or stupid. You pick..

      Report Post »  
    • Brooke Lorren
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:30am

      I do produce copyrighted material, and I do make my money off of it; and yes, I have had some of my content stolen before. However, I’m more worried about SOPA taking away my business than any black-hat thief could. The measures in this bill were over-reaching and could have had disastrous consequences. For example, someone didn’t like what I was posting, they could have taken my content off the Internet while the investigation was pending, just by making an accusation that I was using stolen content. Additionally, I post articles in places where thousands of other people post as well; if someone else was using stolen content, the whole site could be taken offline, when I hadn’t done a thing; I’m still out the money I would have made while the investigation was pending.

      Additionally, say I accidentally posted content, thinking that it was in the public domain or had a Creative Commons license, but it was copyrighted and I didn’t know it. Or I posted a copyrighted piece of content 10 years ago and forgot about it. Although I’m trying to be an honest content producer, I could still have part of my business shut down.

      While I do believe that there should be more done to prevent piracy, especially when it comes to music, movies, and software (generally, Google does a pretty good job at discerning my original content and putting it above content that has been stolen), this was not the bill.

      Report Post »  
    • Ballot_Box_Revolution
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:50am

      It’s not the protection that is the problem…..it is all the stuff that comes with it…..The protection part is the part that says “We are doing what is right for those people” The rest of it is a just a bunch of B.S. There are other ways to fix problems w/o having to make a LAW….

      Report Post » Ballot_Box_Revolution  
    • 2theADDLED
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 7:52pm

      @ RightThinking1
      Guess we shall have to shutdown all Libraries and other sources like wikipedia.

      Report Post »  
    • palmkris
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:01am

      The idea that any pirated material represents lost revenue for the copyright holder is actually incorrect. Each pirated song, file, movie, whatever will not necessarily translate into a sale if piracy was not an option. Piracy is simply a way for people to see movies, sample music, read books that they would NEVER spend the ridiculous prices charged to buy. If its something I really want I have no problem paying for it, but most of the crap produced by Hollywood and the music industry doesn’t deserve the prices charged for it. They should price movies like all other goods. Price blockbuster movies higher and crapfest movies about half that or less. I guarentee the movie industry would see an increase in revenue. People would have no problem paying the high ticket prices for blockbuster movies, but they are not going to pay them for they run of the mill crap Hollywood spews out of its A$$. That is why piracy exists. Besides as long as Beyonce and Jay Z can rent out an entire floor of a hospital and build 2000 sq ft nursery for their kid, as long as the movies Mel Gibson makes somehow give him 900 millions to split in his divorce, or 450 million for Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore—I don’t think their hurting to bad from me saving my $50 and downloading their movies.

      Report Post »  
    • Gulby
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:36pm

      @RightThinking1: The problem is you have only read the title of the bill and that’s it. “Stop Online Piracy Act” Well, who could be against that right? It is what is written beyond that title that is the problem. Forget about the title and look at what the bill will do. It maybe (and I mean MAYBE) protects copyright holders at the expense of you, me and other third parties. Part of the reason the movie and music industries are so in favor of this is that it grants them new power over the internet with little accountability.

      Think of it like this: I introduce a bill called the “Protect the Children Act.” Who could be against that right? I mean, who doesn’t think children should be protected? But when you read the bill you see that for “protection” it gives every three-year-old in America a machine gun, and requires all citizens to comply with orders given at the point of this machine gun, and absolves parents of any responsibility for collateral damage caused by the three-year-old and his machine gun. That, in a nutshell, is SOPA.

      Report Post »  
  • sane_man
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 10:59pm

    Damned if do and damned if don’t. If Obama decided to deregulate everything, close all government offices, shoot Mexicans on sight, and institute a 10% flat tax – this bunch would disavow all desire for those things and call him a socialist. Then they‘d say that he’s a Marxist if he doesn‘t’ instead propose a 5% flat tax, institute free range, kill on sight, hunting days on union members and mandatory pledge of allegiance to your nearest fortune 500 company. It’s incredible. Nothing he could do would ever make you happy. You don’t care about America…you care about not having Blackie Obama in the White House. It’s sad. The Republican party could be a great counterbalance to the Dems…but instead it’s taken over by a bunch of children.

    Report Post »  
    • Ballot_Box_Revolution
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:04am

      I think it is the right decision….however it is a shocking one that does not go with everything else Obama has done……It is a political move…nothing more…

      Have you seen silence of the lambs where the killer keeps the girl in the hole and sends down some lotion on a rope every day and makes her put it on (He wants to make the skin soft so he can make clothes with it??

      If one day he sends down a step ladder that gets her closer to where she wants to be (out of the hole) but no where near it, should she change her view on the man?

      Report Post » Ballot_Box_Revolution  
    • Ballot_Box_Revolution
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:46am

      and all that gibberish you wrote to try to make a point only shows how deep in zombie land you really are…

      Report Post » Ballot_Box_Revolution  
    • sane_man
      Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:03am

      I’m not a zombie at all. I think perhaps you missed my point. Sorry to have you waste your well constructed silence of the lambs analogy. I‘m not saying people should like Obama because he’s against the bill. Not at all. I’m saying people could just say “good, I‘m glad he’s against it” and move on. Instead, they somehow use it as yet another reason to bash him. It’s the way zealots act and zealots lose credibility real quick. It’s partly why Obama will no doubt stay in office while the Republican party tries to fix itself. It’s frustrating to watch the ideologues at work. Is it now more clear what I’m complaining about? I’m complaining bout mindlessness and “hate obama first” attitude.

      Report Post »  
  • Old-Hippie-Patriot
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 10:15pm

    US Warns Spain to Pass SOPA style Law

    http://www.thedailysheeple.com/u-s-warns-spain-pass-sopa-style-law-or-be-downgraded-and-put-on-priority-watch-list_012012

    This is disgusting to my way of thinking!!

    Report Post » Old-Hippie-Patriot  
  • discus02
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 10:03pm

    Another in a very long line of Chicago Thugs! Get the brooms and the trash cans ready. Time to clean the garbage in Washington out!

    Report Post »  
  • Maxim Crux
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:06pm

    When the hell is the House going to hold impeachment trials?

    Report Post »  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 9:50pm

      Ah, come on, Maxim. Lets vote him in for another four. Seems like a nice guy, and his lovely wife………….

      Report Post »  
    • tharpdevenport
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:11am

      Sadly, Impreachment involves the Senate, which is Democrat held, so it would go no where. But I haven’t read the rules yet (opn my To Do list), so I don’t know if we can bring him up on Impeachment anyway. My reasoning for doing it anyway, even though he can’t get Impeached, is that we KEEP HIM BUSY. He‘s overwhleming the system where doing unphathomable damaged to America and it’s people; we just need to bring him in and keep him from doing more harm. And if the rules permit us to keep Impeaching him, then we do it AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, until his last day.

      What does a Censure require?

      Report Post » tharpdevenport  
    • ProbIemSoIver
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 8:22am

      @tharpdevenport

      You seem educated and intelligent.
      Therefore, maybe you will hear me.
      You are coorect when you state that the Senate is democratically controlled.
      The actual number of Republicans in the senate, are 47.
      One of The Most Unconstitutional bills ever to pass on the senate floor (NDAA) recently had 7 opposed.
      7 REAL AMERICANS and true representatives of their constituients voted NO !!!
      1 Independent
      3 Democrats
      and ONLY 3 REPUBLICANS !!!!!!…. (of 47)
      If you truly want to consider yourself educated about Politics, one of the first things you must understand is the LEFT/RIGHT PARADIGM !!!!!
      Quit Focusing on the Actors and set your sights on the script-writers behind the curtain.

      Report Post » ProbIemSoIver  
    • Ballot_Box_Revolution
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:55am

      i believe the house decided to impeach and the senate decides if he should be removed from office……I could be wrong….but it is something like that….

      Report Post » Ballot_Box_Revolution  
  • barber2
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:44pm

    Knowing the Campaigner-in-Chief and his love for executive over-reach, one of his handlers must have told him to cool this “ change” until AFTER the election. Wish this crew were as honest as they are crafty. About as transparent as cement…

    Report Post »  
  • tharpdevenport
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:30pm

    My internet is dynamic and global enough, thank you.

    Oh, and:
    human to animal, collapse, infection, outbreak, and illegal immigrants.

    Report Post » tharpdevenport  
  • IMCHRISTIAN
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:26pm

    I have seen some of Obama’s ad in a foreign country about going to his campaign website. I hope it is not a lot of pay me and I help you in everything he does.

    Report Post »  
  • NewLife56
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:25pm

    All the SOPA bill is a screw the little and the average guy bill. The Movie studios make you buy a ticket and then buy the DVD and then they STILL say you can’t make a backup copy in case your DVD gets scratched up or broken? Where the Bill protecting US????

    Report Post » NewLife56  
    • tharpdevenport
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:48pm

      Yes, it’s absurd. It‘s sort of like a car company saying you can’t repair your car if it gets broken — you got to buy another. Or if you tear your pats or they need mending, you can’t go to a seemstress — you got to buy new pants.

      Report Post » tharpdevenport  
  • BetterDays
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:09pm

    Obama doesn‘t breath a single breath that’s not for selfish personal, political, socialist reasons. So it‘s no suprise that it’s only a “hold”, and to answer many of your comments, I’m sure he plans to put it in writing that “he really didn’t want this” when it doesn’t get a veto, what a pandering juckfob.
    I wonder which candidate won’t EVER agree to freedom stealing bills any congress put on his desk?
    Romney…nope
    Gingrich, GOD I want to hurl
    Santorum, he voted for the patriot act
    Perry, UN superhighway Perry, uh, nope
    Huntsman, lololololololololololololololololololololol
    Hummmmm, I wonder who……

    Report Post »  
  • momsense
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:06pm

    This from the same person who wants to monitor journalisrts and give i=us all online ID’S? Ridiculous!

    Report Post »  
  • gemmeri
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:01pm

    This is laughable at best. The White House has been indirectly responsible for censoring so many of my online remarks because I have never supported the actions of the idiot who currently resides there that I no longer take offense. So why stop now? Because we’re in an election year. Ah yes, manipulation of the masses, what a fun-filled game to play. For attorneys & elitists over the age of reason. Available at a government post near you.

    Report Post »  
  • Mikev5
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:59pm

    I think most pirate sites that offer TV programs are great I sick of cable companies charging an arm and a leg for your three programs you like its highway robbery.

    I get my favorite TV programs as a download and that is all I need FU#$#$K cable and the rest who charge sky high prices for so so TV.

    Report Post » Mikev5  
  • shorthanded12
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:55pm

    File 13 this bill……or will we see Barry on vacation and Auto-pin another Un-Constitional bill?

    Report Post »  
  • RightUnite
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:46pm

    Oh, I see… It’s on hold NOW. He’s waiting until after the election, thinking he’ll actually win, which he won’t, to put it fully into force. Ppppfffffttttttt!!

    Report Post »  
  • 4-The-Truth
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:24pm

    Kill this censorship bill for good. If you want something messed up let our government take control of it.
    If you want to reduce crime, stop building prisons of higher criminal learning and abolish all gun laws instead. You will be amazed what happens to crime when anyone can have and carry any gun any way they want. Criminals aren’t worried about a 911 call that takes an hour to get a response to, but a little old lady with a gun in her purse, that is something for them to think twice about.

    Report Post » 4-The-Truth  
    • ZengaPA65
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:37pm

      What Obama didn‘t sign it yet with a little footnote written in crayon that he doesn’t really mean it?

      Report Post » ZengaPA65  
    • ProbIemSoIver
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:41pm

      The Article States that: “SOPA was designed with the intent to authorize the Attorney General to seek a court order against foreign websites”

      Hmmm… how would we be able to hold a foreign party accountable?

      The World Court in Hauge is the Answer.

      So is it possible there could be an International U.C.C. lien on the ‘United States of America’
      for the Bankruptcy of 1933?

      I will let you search for that answer.

      Report Post » ProbIemSoIver  
    • BetterDays
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:03pm

      @Problemsolver
      Don’t give the sheep more than Ron right now.
      Let’s get him in the White House.
      thanks for being a sovereign kind of problem solver.
      Keep it righteous, as in without spot or blemish.

      Report Post »  
    • ghostchildd
      Posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:58am

      That will only detour low level street crime…
      The most profitable crimals or crimes don’t even involve guns or weapons…

      One has to be really ‘dense’ to think that if you stop all street level crime that all crime would cease…
      Crimes are rampant on all levels of society, in government bank frued, security fraud, loan frauds, fixing books, accounting fraud and so on…
      Street crime, purse snatch type crime, is really not profitable these days…
      But defrauding someone or investers, out of millions, now that’s where the moneys at for white collar criminals, which no one seems to be concerned about…

      what a shame…

      Report Post » ghostchildd  
  • wcsmithiii
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:19pm

    Remember…….election day is coming on fast!!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
    • MrMagoo
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:57pm

      Obama knows that too.2012 is going to be the year where we all bend over or stand up.

      Report Post » MrMagoo  
  • Banter
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:18pm

    …as the Obama administration raised concerns Saturday that the act would undermine “the dynamic, innovative global Internet.”

    In other words, obama is not sure if he can incite the masses in the middle east as easily as he did last year.

    Report Post » Banter  
  • sooner12
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:17pm

    This statement is a farse: “We are concerned that these measures pose a serious risk to our industry’s continued track record of innovation and job-creation, as well as to our nation’s cybersecurity,” This administration has no track record of “innovation and job creation.” What a laugh.

    Report Post »  
  • wcsmithiii
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:17pm

    Here we go again; initiate another new law while wilfully refusing to enforce those which are already on the books, i.e. Illegal immigration, Medicaid fraud, welfare fraud, need I go on?

    Report Post »  
    • Ballot_Box_Revolution
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:13am

      Laws are put in place to prosecute the ones that harm their agenda, or nabbing the big bad guy that will help them look good. Look at Al Capone……they could not get him on anything, so they found a way they could get him……”lets find a law on the books we can use against him.”

      Pretty scary if you think about it.

      Now there is almost enough law padding to pretty much incarcerate anyone they choose if they wanted to bad enough.

      Report Post » Ballot_Box_Revolution  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:05pm

    This has been only put on hold until the President can figure out how to get it without needing Congress involvement; one more massive grab for power by the POTUS Emperor Obama the first.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • SacredHonor1776
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:15pm

      Obama‘s just waiting for the ’put violators in a gulag clause’…

      Report Post »  
    • MCDAVE
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:51pm

      Don’t trust these people they created the legislation;Obama acts like he cares about our freedoms;he only cares about being re-elected…

      Report Post »  
  • piper60
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:00pm

    We need to KILL this bill, not just delay it.

    Report Post » piper60  
    • johnsell
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 5:21pm

      Agree!

      Report Post »  
    • Pontiac
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 11:49pm

      ["foreign websites that commit online privacy by freely offering illegal copies of music"]
      Commit online privacy? C’mon blaze, proof read.

      Report Post » Pontiac  
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