SOPA Postponed!

January 18, 2012 marks the day of the biggest web strike against SOPA/PIPA. Big companies such as Wikipedia, Google, Wordpress and Tumblr to name a few participated in the movement together with our voices, online accounts, and websites for support.

Now, here's good news to us...

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), sponsor of US House Bill SOPA, pulls out the controversial bill today.

In a press release found in the Committee on the Judiciary, Smith stated:

“I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy. It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products."

“The problem of online piracy is too big to ignore. American intellectual property industries provide 19 million high-paying jobs and account for more than 60 percent of U.S. exports. The theft of America’s intellectual property costs the U.S. economy more than $100 billion annually and results in the loss of thousands of American jobs. Congress cannot stand by and do nothing while American innovators and job creators are under attack."

“The online theft of American intellectual property is no different than the theft of products from a store. It is illegal and the law should be enforced both in the store and online."

“The Committee will continue work with copyright owners, Internet companies, financial institutions to develop proposals that combat online piracy and protect America’s intellectual property. We welcome input from all organizations and individuals who have an honest difference of opinion about how best to address this widespread problem. The Committee remains committed to finding a solution to the problem of online piracy that protects American intellectual property and innovation.”

The House Judiciary Committee will postpone consideration of the legislation until there is wider agreement on a solution.

Our voices were heard! I thank everyone for their time to get the word out and to all the websites who darkened or blocked their domains during the strike. SOPA may have been withdrawn for now but knowing the amount of supporters who opposed to the bill clearly shows that our opinion and freedom matters.

Click here for the complete figures from the movement.

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