Oppose PROTECT-IP

Oppose PROTECT-IP

Originally submitted by emil10001 on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 10:01

I wrote a letter to Congress, and you can too! The PROTECT-IP act, if passed, has the potential to break the internet. Claims could be made about a website that the operators of that site would be unable to defend, and their site would be permanently blacklisted. My letter follows.

Oppose S. 968: Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011

Dear Sen. Bill Nelson and Sen. Marco Rubio:

I oppose S. 968 (“Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011”) because as the owner of a small internet based business, this bill has me worried. If passed, it has the potential to kill my business. Someone could claim that I am infringing on their copyright, and without my knowledge, or ability to defend myself, my site could be blacklisted, and I would be unable to continue to get new business. Potential clients might see this as a black-mark and avoid doing business with me.

While I do not host much in the way of video, I have posted several videos that I have recorded. Someone could make the claim that I was not the owner. I also have a site that mainly consists philosophical essays, and someone who might be offended by this may claim that I have stolen their work. There are many other dangers that arise from such a piece of legislation as this bill.

As I see it, you run the risk of putting many legitimate businesses in jeopardy by passing this bill. You would break the internet’s architecture. And, you would be trampling free speech. I fail to see how this could possibly be something worth supporting.

emil10001 Florida’s 22nd district

This letter is pending delivery to Sen. Bill Nelson [D, FL] and Sen. Marco Rubio [R, FL].