Strong, empirical public opposition to enhanced copyright protections

The Stop Online Piracy Act52 (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act of 201153 (PIPA) were the House and Senate versions, respectively, of bills designed to thwart the widespread availability of movies, music, and other media accessible on the Internet in violation of copyright law.54 These bills were promoted by large media lobbies, including the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America, as well as by the United States Chamber of Commerce.55 SOPA and PIPA were intended to operate by penalizing or prohibiting Internet search engines and web payment sites from providing access or payment to websites distributing material in violation of United States copyright laws.56 Initially, SOPA and PIPA had widespread, bipartisan support in Congress and appeared headed towards adoption as legislation.57 In December 2011, however, a collection of technology and Internet companies came out in strong opposition to the bills based on concerns about Internet censorship, the impact of the bills on free speech, and the potential for the legislation to stifle online innovation.58 Congressional leaders were taken aback by the rapid groundswell of public opposition to SOPA and PIPA, and in January 2012, they indefinitely postponed votes and other action on the legislation.59 This series of events may have been caused in part by the disconnect between expert and lay perspectives on intellectual property. The legislative debates concerning reform in this area are not likely over. Media piracy remains a significant challenge for certain industries, and concerns about how to address copyright infringement on the Internet continue to fester, raising the likelihood that Congress will consider revised versions of SOPA and PIPA in the future.60