In the wake of last week’s day of protest, two Alabama members of Congress have spoken out against the Stopping Online Piracy Act (SOPA). U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions and Rep. Jo Bonner both indicated publicly that they would not support the sweeping legislation in its current form.
Critics of the bill argue it goes too far to prevent online piracy and would censor the Web and stifle Alabama businesses. If you went online last Wednesday, you likely encountered the online protest staged by Internet giants like Google and Wikipedia, which were intended to raise awareness of the privacy legislation.
“Understanding the considerable opposition to the Stopping Online Piracy Act (SOPA) as currently written, I believe significant changes will be required before it can be considered by the full House,” Rep. Bonner told the Press-Register. “Congress should pursue ways to protect American intellectual property without infringing on the free speech rights of citizens or open access to the Internet.”
Sen. Sessions has also spoken out against the Senate version of the bill, called the Protect IP Act, or PIPA. He joined five of his Republicans colleagues in signing a letter to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., requesting the Senate Majority Leader allow more time for discussion.
“I have not endorsed this legislation. The theft of intellectual property is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, but I believe there are many issues that need to be clarified,” Sessions said in an email statement.
What Would the Law Mean for Alabama Businesses?
The legislation is largely supported by businesses in the movie and recording industries because it aims to punish websites that offer pirated goods, such as music downloads. However, new media companies have been very critical of the bill and its likely impact on businesses that operate online. They characterize SOPA as overreaching, arguing that mere links to websites that offer counterfeit goods could lead to liability as the law stands now.
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