Stop Online Piracy Act

10/23/2012

Get Ready for A Scintillating Discussion on the Finer Points of IP and Foreign Trade Policy

By Gabe Rottman, Legislative Counsel, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 12:34pm

So, Wednesday, I’ll be participating in an “Ask Me Anything,” or AMA, discussion on Reddit. It amazes me that folks are even interested, but the topic will be the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (“TPP”).

08/29/2012

Intellectual Property

The Biggest Threat to Free Speech and Intellectual Property That You’ve Never Heard Of

By Sandra Fulton, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 3:22pm

As we have seen in the failed attempts of SOPA/PIPA, and the floundering Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, intellectual property (“IP”) laws are often poorly constructed, hastily proposed and ultimately both ineffective and potentially abusive.

07/05/2012

Internet Free Expression

Internet Freedom is Worth Fighting For

By Ateqah Khaki at 5:02pm

The ACLU and dozens of other organizations – including Free Press and the Electronic Frontier Foundation – have teamed up to create the Declaration of Internet Freedom, which sets for a set of principles providing a positive vision to preserve the Internet as a platform for speech, innovation and creativity.

04/23/2012

Civil Liberties in the Digital Age

Free Future!

By Jay Stanley, Senior Policy Analyst, ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project at 10:57am

This week we launched Free Future, a new blog that will feature a range of forward-looking technology issues.

01/20/2012

Stop Online Piracy Act

SOPA and PIPA Votes Delayed Indefinitely

By Michael Macleod-Ball, Chief of Staff, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 11:52am

Votes on two anti-piracy bills in the House and Senate have been delayed indefinitely until there is wider agreement in Congress about the legislation.

01/19/2012

Stop Online Piracy Act

The Internet Goes Dark

By Michael Macleod-Ball, Chief of Staff, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 3:05pm

As of Thursday afternoon, 26 senators have withdrawn their support for PIPA (SOPA’s sister bill in the Senate), including six of the bill’s former cosponsors.

01/18/2012

Stop Online Piracy Act

Online Protest Over SOPA Helps

By Michael Macleod-Ball, Chief of Staff, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 11:53am

Today, major tech advocates are protesting a proposed law that would result in our government blocking access to websites that contain copyright-infringing material.

01/13/2012

Stop Online Piracy Act

Civil Liberties in the Digital Age: Weekly Highlights (1/13/2012)

By Caitlin O'Neill, Criminal Justice and Drug Policy Associate, ACLU of Northern California at 3:59pm

In the digital age that we live in today, we are constantly exposing our personal information online. From using cell phones and GPS devices to online shopping and sending e-mail, the things we do and say online leave behind ever-growing trails of personal information. The ACLU believes that Americans shouldn’t have to choose between using new technology and keeping control of your private information. Each week, we feature some of the most interesting news related to technology and civil liberties that we’ve spotted from the previous week.

12/20/2011

Stop Online Piracy Act

SOPA Markup: Hail to the Nerds?

By Rachel Marshall, Washington Legislative Office at 1:13pm

After more than 12 hours of debate on December 15 and 16 markup for the Stop Online Piracy Act (HR 3261), or SOPA, as it’s better known, about the only clear conclusion is the House Judiciary Committee is not made up of nerds, as member after member on the public record disavowed ever being a nerd. However, according to the opponents of the bill, nerds are exactly what they need in order to ensure this bill does not trample all over the Internet and our First Amendment rights.

12/14/2011

Stop Online Piracy Act

Urge Congress to Stop SOPA!

By Michael Macleod-Ball, Chief of Staff, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 6:20pm

The Stop Online Piracy Act (H.R. 3261), known as “SOPA,” is scheduled for consideration at a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow. The bill is aimed at taking down sites that allow Internet users to acquire pirated versions of original artistic content online. At a recent hearing, the ACLU expressed opposition to the bill because it would allow for the takedown of non-infringing content along with infringing content, in violation of the First Amendment.

American Civil Liberties Union