Senate Postpones Vote on Internet Anti-Piracy Bill; New York Times, 1/20/12

Jonathan Weisman, New York Times; Senate Postpones Vote on Internet Anti-Piracy Bill:

"Taking to the medium that helped organize extensive protests against the legislation, Mr. Reid, Democrat of Nevada, announced a delay in the vote via the social media Web site Twitter. But he indicated the issue, which had been scheduled for a vote Tuesday, had not died...

In the House, Representative Lamar Smith, the Texas Republican who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee, called off plans to formally draft his version of the anti-piracy bill next month."

In Fight Over Piracy Bills, New Economy Rises Against Old; New York Times, 1/18/12

Jonathan Weisman, New York Times; In Fight Over Piracy Bills, New Economy Rises Against Old:

"As a result, the legislative battle over two once-obscure bills to combat the piracy of American movies, music, books and writing on the World Wide Web may prove to be a turning point for the way business is done in Washington. It represented a moment when the new economy rose up against the old...

It appeared by Wednesday evening that Congress would follow Bank of America, Netflix and Verizon as the latest institution to change course in the face of a netizen revolt."

SOPA, Internet Piracy And Power; NPR's On Point, 1/18/12

NPR's On Point; SOPA, Internet Piracy And Power:

"Go to Wikipedia today and you’re going to get a dark screen. Same at Reddit and BoingBoing. Even giant Google has blacked out its famous logo – though its searches go on. The target of all the Internet protest is legislation on Capitol Hill aimed at stopping Internet pirates – pirates stealing movies and music and more.

Critics of the legislation say it takes a full cannonade to a narrow piracy problem. That it threatens to sink Internet freedom and innovation under censorship and firewalls. It’s a battle royal."