Many technologies, such as our new browser-based Call Center Agent, have the advantage of being designed and tested before being released to the public. This allows companies to work out bugs and perfect various features, and it allows customers to know exactly what they’re getting before they invest. But some things, such as the internet, need to evolve. We need to use the internet to know what we want it to do or not do. The most recent debate about the internet surrounds SOPA.
Just recently, new top level domain names were opened for registration, which will change domain naming conventions considerably. Something that might have a much larger impact on the internet is an American bill called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Wikipedia today announced that they will be shutting down Wikipedia.com for 24 hours on Wednesday, January 18th in protest to this new bill. And Wikipedia is not the only site willing to go offline in protest. Reddit, Mozilla, Word Press, and TwitPic have all signed up for the protest, along with many other websites.
The government is trying to stop copyright law infringements with SOPA. Basically, the act would allow the American government to cut off access to websites from around the world if they were found in violation of any copyright laws. Websites that broadcast illegal movies or sporting events cannot operate in the United States, but they can in many other countries around the world. Since the American government can’t stop them from operating, they intend to restrict access for their own population.
The concern on the other side is not that people are going to be prevented from streaming illegal content, but rather that this bill is going to create a level of censorship that will not be easily reversed and could stop the internet from being the free forum that it has become. If the American government can block access to any website they want, will they stop at just those websites that are the worst offenders or will sites that commit minor infractions be targeted as well? Wikipedia allows anyone to create content, and while the intention is to create new content, if someone plagiarizes some text for a Wikipedia article, will the American government cut off access to all of Wikipedia until that text is removed? Wikipedia would argue that SOPA gives the government too much control over the internet, and it’s hard not to agree.
The internet is supposed to be a place for the sharing of information; a free form for anyone that cares to get involved. At the same time, it’s not fair to steal creative work from people that work hard to create it. Ever since Napster, which recently shutdown in Canada, we’ve been trying to find a happy medium between the sharing of information and the prevention of illegal activities throughout the internet. SOPA is going to be a huge factor in deciding whether or not the internet should stay free despite a few bad apples, or if it’s going to be heavily regulated. Stay tuned.
Tags: call center software, cloud computing, internet, napster, protest, sopa, wikipedia