Why Has Beatrice Gone Dark Temporarily?

On Wednesday, January 18, 2012, along with many other websites, I am “blacking out” my content as a protest against two bits of proposed legislation working its way through the United States Congress: a House Bill called the Stop Online Piracy Act and a Senate bill called the Protect Intellectual Property Act. Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has perfectly described why we’re against this legislation, so I’m just going to quote her:

“I do not think PIPA and SOPA are the correct response, and find them to be much too large a hammer, one that serves those who funded the development of the bill than any actual progress against the relative threat of piracy. They serve to hinder development more than they could ever stop piracy.”

CNET explains what’s at stake, as does the BBC, and Reddit’s Jason Harvey really digs into the details.

Because one possible long-term effection of SOPA/PIPA, should either of them become federal law, would be to suppress both American citizens’ expressions of free speech and their access to other people’s expressions of free speech, I am joining several other websites in a temporary demonstration of what a federally censored Internet could take away from end users like you and me. Normal service will be restored at the end of the day. In the meantime, if you’re as concerned about these bills as I am, call your U.S. Senator or your U.S. representative and let them know where you stand.

18 January 2012 | uncategorized |