[Libs-Or] PIPA, SOPA and OPEN Act Quick Reference Guide

[Diedre Conkling]

PIPA, SOPA and OPEN Act Quick Reference Guide
Posted on January 10,
2012<http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/01/pipa-sopa-and-open-act-quick-reference-guide/>
by Corey W <http://www.districtdispatch.org/author/corey-w/>|
http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/01/pipa-sopa-and-open-act-quick-reference-guide/

The last month or so has seen a flurry of anti-piracy, online infringing,
copyright-related bills. The latest newcomer is the *Online Protection and
Enforcement of Digital Trade Act* or OPEN Act (S.
2029<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:s.2029:>).
Introduced on December 17, 2011 by Sen. Wyden (D-OR), along with Senators
Moran (R-KS) and Cantwell (D-WA), the OPEN Act is being heralded as a more
palatable alternative to existing anti-piracy bills – *The **Preventing
Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual
Property Act of 2011* or PIPA (S.
968<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:S.968:>),
and *The Stop Online Piracy Act *or SOPA (H.R.
3261<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.3261:>
).

All three bills take aim at any website beyond U.S. borders that distribute
counterfeit or copyright infringing products. To capture how all three
bills compare and contrast, I’ve constructed the *PIPA, SOPA and OPEN Act
Quick Reference
Guide*<http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ALA_pipasopaopen_ref_guide.pdf>(pdf).
Not meant to be comprehensive (it would be pages and pages), nor too
legalese (I’m a librarian, not a lawyer – although I did consult our legal
consultant), the chart helps depict the nuanced and not-so-nuanced
differences among the bills.

What you’ll see (hopefully at a glance), is unlike PIPA or SOPA, the OPEN
Act focuses solely on curbing online infringement by cutting off websites’
payment processing and ad networks. In contrast, PIPA and SOPA go further
in that they also incentivize internet companies to cut off access to
websites. The tactics the latter two bills employ have a potential chilling
effect on 1st Amendment free speech rights and intellectual freedom, as
well as weaken cyber security, and threaten privacy.

Also, the guide captures the status of the bills as of today, January 10.
It is worth noting that the bills are in the midst of the legislative
process – the U.S. House Judiciary committee will resume markup of SOPA on
January 17th and the U.S. Senate has scheduled a cloture vote on PIPA for
January 24th. In addition, House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform Chairman Rep. Issa (R-Calif.) announced a
hearing<http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1553:issa-announces-oversight-hearing-on-dns-a-search-engine-blocking&catid=22:releasesstatements>has
been scheduled for January 18th on the potential impact of Domain Name
Service (DNS) and search engine blocking.

The ALA will continue to voice strong opposition to PIPA and SOPA, while
further analysis of the OPEN Act is needed.

Corey Williams
Associate Director, Office of Government Relations
American Library Association

http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/01/pipa-sopa-and-open-act-quick-reference-guide/





-- 
*Diedre Conkling**
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR 97365
Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066
Work email**: **diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org*<diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org>
*
Home email: **diedre08 at gmail.com* <diedre08 at gmail.com>

 WAR IS OBSOLETE<http://www.facebook.com/pages/WAR-IS-OBSOLETE/297916183027>
Holding resentment is like eating poison and waiting for the other person
to keel over. - Unknown Author
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