Censoring the Internet

Clint Eastwood's iconic movie character, "Dirty Harry" Callahan, famously said, "A man's got to know his limitations." If only more members of Congress would take that advice to heart, especially when it comes to highly technical issues like the Internet.

The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday held hearings on a frightening piece of legislation called the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA. Its goals are admirable: Protect copyrighted material from being pirated and counterfeited on the Internet (a similar bill, called the PROTECT IP Act, resides in the Senate).

But its solution is too heavy-handed. In seeking to punish those who steal intellectual property, the legislation would give the government the power to block entire websites that merely have been accused of violating a copyright. Instead of demanding only that the questionable content be removed, SOPA would erect a federal firewall on targeted sites.

Currently, if a movie studio or music company sees a video on YouTube that it believes violates the copyright, they can flag it and the website will take it down. That's simple and fair. Under SOPA, all of YouTube could be blocked — even home videos of cats acting silly.

That's like dropping a nuclear bomb on a building because there's a pesky mouse inside a wall.

The Internet has succeeded because it is decentralized, has open access and is constantly evolving. It's like an organism whose cells keep dividing, growing, mutating. Its properties undermine hierarchies, giving more control to individuals. That threatens those in entrenched positions of power, who find themselves like French troops in 1940 watching the Germans flank the Maginot Line.

That's why SOPA and the PROTECT IP Act are supported by the entertainment industry, which has repeatedly fought against technological advances — from VCRs to mp3 players to YouTube — that give individuals the power to distribute and enjoy content without going through the corporate gatekeepers.

The proposed legislation threatens to throw sand in the Internet's virtual gears, stifling commerce and free expression.

Seeing Congress tinker with the World Wide Web is like watching Drs.

Moe, Larry and Curly perform brain surgery. Some SOPA supporters don't appear to understand complex Internet security protocols and how the bill would affect them.

At least some members of the Judiciary Committee admitted their ignorance.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said, "I worry that we did not take the time to have a hearing to truly understand what we're doing ... maybe we ought to ask some nerds what this (bill) really does."

House Cybersecurity Subpanel Chairman Dan Lungren, R-Calif., said, "I don't feel comfortable supporting this bill until the questions are answered. ... I am frustrated with this process because so many question marks remain ... we better take the time to get it right."

Sadly, that kind of candor and go-slow attitude are in short supply in Washington. Most elected officials believe it's better to "do something" first and (maybe) ask questions later.

Others, such as Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., understand that even a watered-down SOPA would pose a threat.

"I think that once the government has a taste of this power, the temptation to exert an ever-greater amount of control over the Internet through filtering technology will be irresistible," she said.

SOPA is a product of corporate lobbying that would censor the Internet. Congress should hit the delete button on it.

 

REPRINTED FROM THE PANAMA CITY NEWS HERALD

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