[governance] DNS Blocking out of SOPA

[Pranesh Prakash]

One small step forward, though the battle is still far far from over.

- Pranesh

http://goo.gl/AjAxI

Smith to Remove DNS Blocking from SOPA

Washington, Jan 13 -

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today said he
plans to remove a provision in the Stop Online Piracy Act (H.R. 3261)
that requires Internet Service Providers to block access to certain
foreign websites.

Chairman Smith: “After consultation with industry groups across the
country, I feel we should remove Domain Name System blocking from the
Stop Online Piracy Act so that the Committee can further examine the
issues surrounding this provision. We will continue to look for ways to
ensure that foreign websites cannot sell and distribute illegal content
to U.S. consumers.

“Current law protects the rights of American innovators by prohibiting
the illegal sale and distribution of their products by domestic
websites.  But there is no equivalent protection for American companies
from foreign online criminals who steal and sell American goods to
consumers around the world. Congress must address the widespread problem
of online theft of America’s technology and products from foreign thieves.

“The Stop Online Piracy Act cuts off the flow of revenue to these
foreign illegal sites and makes it harder for online criminals to market
and distribute illegal products to U.S. consumers. The bill maintains
provisions that ‘follow the money’ and cut off the main sources of
revenue to foreign illegal sites. It also continues to protect consumers
from being directed to foreign illegal websites by search engines. And
it provides innovators with a way to bring claims against foreign
illegal sites that steal and sell their technology, products and
intellectual property.

“American intellectual property industries provide 19 million
high-paying jobs and account for more than 60 percent of U.S. exports.
Congress cannot stand by and do nothing while some of America’s most
profitable and productive industries are under attack.  The Stop Online
Piracy Act protects the products and jobs that rightly belong to
American innovators.”

 The bill is supported by more than 120 businesses and associations from
around the country including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National
Sheriffs’ Association, International Union of Police Associations, the
National Association of Manufacturers, the AFL-CIO, the National
Songwriters Association and the National Center for Victims of Crime.
More information about the Stop Online Piracy Act can be found at:
http://judiciary.house.gov/issues/issues_RogueWebsites.html

-- 
Pranesh Prakash
Programme Manager
Centre for Internet and Society
W: http://cis-india.org | T: +91 80 40926283

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