What is Protect IP and SOPA?

Recently, we sat down with Brian Rowe and Marcus Barnes-Cannon to discuss Protect IP and what it actually means to not only our community, but anyone that uses the Internet.

Marcus Barnes-Cannon is a third-year law student at the Seattle University School of Law with a focus on intellectual property. He recently spoke at Gnomedex as part of the Seattle Interactive Conference on the matter of Protect IP and its impact on both commercial and non-commercial users.

The Protect IP Act is a set of legislation that would dramatically change the way the government and copyright holders handle potentially infringing sites. If the DoJ or the copyright holder deems a site in violation, they would have the authority to go directly to various search engines, domain registrars, and social networking sites to have the site pretty much blocked from anyone being able to access it. This, of course, prior to any trial or due process that one might imagine needing to come before such a drastic action takes place.

You can read the legislation for yourself here:

SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) is a counter legislation currently being proposed in the House which takes a different (yet equally drastic) approach to combating piracy. By granting the copyright holders the ability to cut off the funding of these sites by directly contacting their advertisers and financial institutions, the RIAA or MPAA would essentially have the power to put you out of business if they deem your site in violation of copyright.

You can read the Stop Online Piracy Act yourself here:

With either legislative proposal, the media conglomerates, RIAA, and MPAA would essentially have the power to shut businesses down without due process. Imagine having the fate of your site determined by the same legal bodies that have prosecuted children and put their families out of house and home because they installed a program like Kazaa on their parent's system without knowing the implications. If this is the type of drastic legal action they would take to a kid, imagine how quickly this same body would respond to a site that may be equally infringing, whether they know it or not.

[GingerGames]

I live in the UK and I know this is an American Bill but will/could affect us legally?

[BadSector]

thanks for creating this video, this subject needs more attention and I encourage everyone to share this info out to your friends, that said, this will not stop pirating of software, music or movies, the users of the internet are just to creative and will always find way to do what others want. To many congressman and politicians have been giving millions by entertainment industry and have to vote the way the industry wants them too. just don't think this will go away.

[roboty]

@FLstudioMexico Sure, this means you would have to write the ip address, this is no problem for the sites you already know, but what about new sites ?

[ChrisPirillo]

@reklaimer85 - There's a reason we called in the experts vs. pushing some random advice.

[Xcalibr]

is it just me or does this guy have the coolest office set up ever? where do i get these trekky lights for my office?

[Avelx]

It is not about us the users and creators it is about control. So when things go sower and believe you me they will your life is in their hands. Stop talking about rights (civil rights) they are nothing more than privileges. Talk about your duty to uphold your rights and see what they say then. I didn't like Pirillo's videos that much but this video is very good. Keep up the good work!

[LexiUni]

This is the most sense I have heard on this issue yet...

[ToughFilTSK]

@proteusn7xr
what are you talking about I'm against the bill, how can a quote from the bill SUPPORT my protest against it?

[GGshot]

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.

[PSI]

Apparently Netflix supports this bill - here's an easy one. Everyone with a Netflix account, put your account on hold for 2 months, and email them telling them why. Once they revoke their support, remove the hold.

[ethannat]

@mastergp4life But the OTHER guy's name is Marcus, not him! Although Notch's name is spelled Markus... maybe you have a point!

[Puppet_Doctor]

Extremely informative video you have made here.

[gentlegiant]

Those are cool lights in your background. Good old school sci fi.

[TheFaustianMan]

I read it too..and agree. I quoted you on my Twitter. Nicely said!

[tmar]

I've seen commercials taken down from youtube because of "infringement". Really you're that worried about your "work" that you are not allowing free advertisement?

[SkywardKing]

Why is it that something this huge isn't getting major time on the news, instead of Ashton and Demi's Divorce and peoples response on twitter and crap like that? this could majorly effect millions of people on this planet and put lots and lots of people out of a job, if this mess happens many people who's careers are based on youtube would be out of luck.

[thundered]

Thank you Chris... Very informative...

[DevHQLessons]

Really good video - embedded it on my forum :)

[ppp]

@luminozero
theres a difference between unrestrained and free.
freedom of speech is freedom of speech either have it or don't.
there should be no in between no matter what it may cause.

[MrOteat]

@loldude1222 only american websites will be removed, but check how many websites you use are based in america