SOPA, PIPA and the Virtual World
SOPA or Stop Online Piracy Act and PIPA Protect IP Address, could change the virtual world we know today.
Local internet users spoke about what this could mean if the bills were to pass.
It's an issue some argue of piracy versus censorship.
Imagine going to your favorite websites or search engines and finding that they are blacked out or completely shut down.
One argument is internet users should not be afraid to voice their opinions in the virtual world.
The other side, corporations using the government and issues of piracy to shut down websites.
The public outcry from the virtual world, websites protesting, shutting down or limiting access to their sites.
This could potentially be harmful for users.
Piracy is an ongoing issue.
Media companies are upset their copyrighted content gets stolen and then given away for free on some websites.
The possible legislation aims at cracking down on this piracy.
The bills also ultimately effect websites, like Google, that run on ad revenue.
The bills, if passed in their current form, could take away that revenue if the legislation is violated.
Leading to websites shutting down.