The U.S. Congress is currently considering enacting new legislation to combat foreign websites which infringe on U.S. copyright content, such as movies, songs and t.v. shows, by essentially blacklisting those websites.  The legislation, known as the Stop Anti-Piracy Act (SOPA), is already very controversial. It prompted many websites, such as Wikipedia and Reddit, to shut down last Wednesday in protest of SOPA.

Why are websites such as Wikipedia against SOPA?  Essentially, there are some pitfalls in this legislation which could have unintended adverse effects for U.S. users.  For example, any U.S. internet user who accesses or links to a site that has copyrighted content, uploaded illegally, could be punished.  This means that a violation of SOPA would occur if a link appears on Youtube which directs a user to a foreign site containing a U.S. movie or song which is not obtained legally.

Another pitfall would arise if a U.S. user stores information on a web site, which provides cloud storage or video hosting,  and that web site also contains copyright infringed material.  This would cause the web site to become blacklisted by the U.S. government and thereafter not be accessible to the U.S. user.

Most web sites argue that the uploading of copyright infringed material is hard to track and that SOPA would punish those sites where there is no intent to harbor such materials.  In light of the protests, the U.S. government has promised to review SOPA.  Stay tuned.