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Are SOPA/PIPA Dead?… A Shocking Turn of Events – A SPN Exclusive Article

Last November I wrote an article titled The Advent of Internet Censorship in America . To recap: “The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), also known as H.R.3261, was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on October 26, 2011 by Representative Lamar Smith [R-TX] and a bipartisan group of 12 initial co-sponsors. The aim of the bill is to help U.S. law enforcement and copyright holders fight online transmission of restricted intellectual property.” (Source: Wikipedia) Opponents of the bill says it goes too far and threatens to shut down or censor legitimate websites that might inadvertently link to or display such content. Anyway, when I wrote that article back in November, the bill was sitting in the House Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet. It had yet to be introduced to the floor for a vote.

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Are SOPA/PIPA Dead?… A Shocking Turn of Events – A SPN Exclusive Article

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SOPA Spells Loss — A SPN Exclusive Article

Every business with an online presence – no matter the size – is going to be affected by the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which is set to be voted on when Congress resumes later this month. Companies like Google that provide a gateway to diverse content on the web will be hit directly, but even smaller businesses – from online payroll providers to ecommerce sites – could be affected, even if they don’t at first appear to have a direct link with anything SOPA was created to fight. Every user of the Internet, whether a business owner or not, needs to understand why SOPA exists and what the unintended consequences of this poorly considered piece of legislation will really be, both for small companies and the nation as a whole. After educating yourself, take action! If you disagree with SOPA and want to help stop it before it causes any damage, there are things you can do, both through your company and as an individual. What is SOPA? SOPA was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives last October by Republican Representative Lamar Smith and 12 co-sponsors. It was created as part of an effort to combat online piracy on behalf of copyright holders by requiring that any site that links to or does business with an offending party be held legally responsible for any illegal acts the offender might commit, whether or not the site contacted is engaging in any illicit activities. What Does This Mean For Small Business?

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SOPA Spells Loss — A SPN Exclusive Article

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Technology and the Invasion of Privacy Snatchers – A SPN Exclusive Article

On February 5th, 1956, a science fiction movie titled “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” was released in the US. The movie is about a small-town doctor who discovers that the population of his community is being systematically replaced by emotionless alien duplicates. Fast forward to today, and life is imitating art, with a real life version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers being played out. But it’s not just happening in one small town. It’s happening in cities and towns all across America. Only it’s not bodies that are systematically being snatched, it’s our individual right to privacy

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Technology and the Invasion of Privacy Snatchers – A SPN Exclusive Article