SOPA

The Stop Online Piracy Act seemed destined for passage when it first surfaced in the House of Representatives in 2011. Intended to discourage illegal copyright violations, SOPA would have given private entities the power to blacklist websites at will. It would have violated the due process rights of thousands of users who could have seen their sites disappear from the Internet. And it would have allowed banks to freeze financial deposits to the accounts of website owners, potentially forcing falsely accused Internet enterprises out of business.

Supporters claimed that SOPA was the only way to effectively fight online piracy. If it had passed, corporations (with the help of the courts) would have become the arbiters of what is and isn't lawful online activity, with millions of Internet users swept in their nets as collateral damage.

But on January 18, 2012, thousands of websites went dark to protest SOPA and its companion bill in the Senate, the Protect IP Act. Wikipedia, Reddit, BoingBoing, Free Press and Save the Internet were among the many participants in the protest, which created such a backlash that both bills were shelved.

This remarkable turn of events demonstrated the power of Internet organizing. But SOPA likely won't be the last time that powerful Hollywood studios and media companies use their Washington connections to try to slip through legislation that threatens the open Internet.

Blog Posts

(Not So) Free Wi-Fi
Josh Levy
February 4, 2013
Having failed to garner sufficient congressional support for SOPA, the powerful content industry (big Hollywood studios, the Recording Industry of America, etc.) has now partnered with equally powerful Internet service providers to hatch a “Six Strikes” plan that may threaten the availability of free public Wi-Fi.
Susan Crawford Warns of Dire Consequences for Internet Users
Timothy Karr
February 1, 2013
Susan Crawford’s new book, Captive Audience, details a host of challenges for the Internet and its users as this network enters middle age. Many of its recent growing pains come at the hands of network providers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon that sell access to the global network.
Deck the Halls With Internet Freedom
Josh Levy
December 20, 2012
2012 was a huge year for Internet freedom. We stopped SOPA and PIPA. We forced AT&T to relent when it blocked the FaceTime video-calling app. We stopped the march toward privacy-killing cybersecurity legislation. And we put forward a vision of Internet freedom for all.

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Actions

Declaration of Internet Freedom

Tired of fighting bad bills like SOPA, PIPA and CISPA? Want to stand up against those who are trying to control what we do and say online?

Let's do something different. Add your name and join the global movement for Internet freedom.

Sign the Declaration
Defend the First Amendment

Police have arrested journalists and activists around the country for the “crime” of documenting political protests in public spaces. Take action now to protect freedom of the press.

Sign the Letter »

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Press Releases

Free Press Action Fund Calls on Congress to Return MPAA’s Dirty Money
January 24, 2012
WASHINGTON -- On Tuesday, the Free Press Action Fund called on Congress to return campaign donations from the Motion Picture Association of America.

In an interview last week, MPAA President Chris Dodd, a former U.S. senator, threatened to cut off campaign donations to members of Congress who vote against legislation the MPAA supports.
Senate Delays PROTECT IP Vote After Public Outcry
January 20, 2012
WASHINGTON – On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced he would delay a vote on the PROTECT IP Act. A cloture vote on the controversial legislation had been scheduled for Tuesday.

Craig Aaron, president and CEO of the Free Press Action Fund, made the following statement:
Free Press Action Fund: Even Without Blocking Provisions, Problems Remain in IP Bills
January 13, 2012
WASHINGTON -- On Friday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) said that he has suggested removing a provision from the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) that would allow for blocking domain names of websites that illegally post copyrighted content.

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News from Around the Web

Congressman Darrell Issa's Call to the Internet's Right Side
The Atlantic
July 25, 2012
In this recent interview, Rep. Darrell Issa makes his case for why a conservative approach is the best hope for keeping the Internet full of win.

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Broadband

Access to high-speed Internet service — also known as broadband — is a basic public necessity, just like water or electricity.

Yet despite its importance, broadband access in the United States is far from universal. Millions of Americans still stand on the wrong side of the "digital divide," unable to tap into the political, economic and social resources of the Internet.
Cybersecurity

Our right to private communications is a cornerstone of American democracy. But with heightened awareness in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, technological advances have continued allowing the government to expand its reach into our private lives via electronic surveillance and data-mining programs. New laws and policies introduced in the last decade have eroded our civil liberties online.

Congress has a poor track record when it comes to cybersecurity legislation. The bills introduced so far give the government way too much power to intrude on our privacy online.
Declaration of Internet Freedom

Tired of fighting bad bills like SOPA, PIPA and CISPA? Want to stand up against those who are trying to control what we do and say online? It's time for something different.

A group of more than 1,500 organizations, academics, startup founders and tech innovators has come together to sign a Declaration of Internet Freedom, a set of five principles that put forward a positive vision of the open Internet. Click here to add your name.