If all the talk about SOPA/PIPA hasn’t reached you, then I can only assume you haven’t been sitting in front of your computer for close to 8 hours a day like the rest of us.
Personally, I believe those 8 hours will be significantly less endurable if this bill gets passed, but there’s an endless amount of opinions posted on the internet and maybe you just want some facts because when you clicked on Google this morning, the internet giant had blacked out its iconic logo. This got your attention. You probably already tried to correct your knowledge fail by doing what we all do when we find ourselves ignorant on a topic: we go to Wikipedia. But guess what? (Actually, though, there is at least one link working on Wikipedia today.)
You don’t need to be a tech nerd to want to know what’s up with the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its counterpart the Protect IP Act (PIPA), so here are some links to help you understand SOPA/PIPA and today’s blackout. After those links you’ll find a few to help you take action, if you so choose.
If you want to go to the source and read the actual House legislation, here’s a pdf for SOPA.
Similarly, if you want the actual Senate legislation, here’s a pdf for PIPA.
If you want something that summarizes SOPA/PIPA and the Wikipedia blackout, here’s a very basic understanding from ABC News.
If you want CBS News to explain what it believes you need to know on the issue, here’s that summary.
If you want FOX News to explain it to you in its own special way, here’s that link.
If you want the New York Times to explain it to you, you know where to go.
If you want an incredibly specific website to explain SOPA, try here.
If you want to read Obama’s Administration’s response, read this.
If you want a daily technology news website’s take, visit Wired.com‘s explanation of why it went dark today.
If you still don’t understand how SOPA/PIPA might affect you, try reading this CNET article for an FAQ.
If you require a lolcat connection, then watch “The Day the LOLcats died” video.
If you can only function in internet lists mainly composed of graphics, then check out the Washington Post’s collection of the five best anti-SOPA protests from today’s blackout.
Now, as far as taking action goes…
If you’re looking to contact your officials, you visit their websites for direct contact information. You can call their offices or you can send an email. Or both.
- Visit Congress’s website and type your zip code in to the box at the top right: http://www.house.gov/
- Visit the Senate’s website and use the drop-down state selection at the top right: http://www.senate.gov/
If you want to sign the Google petition, go here: https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/
If you want to sign the petition on sopa.com, it’s as easy as going to: http://www.sopa.com/
And finally, if you feel the same about this issue as most of your internet brethren and you’ve contacted your officials, then continue to help get the word out. Send around this link so your friends and family can educate themselves or select the links that hit home for you and pass them along via email, Facebook, Twitter, or by whatever means you desire. And please, we ask that you add any additional links in the comments section that you think would help others understand and come to an opinion about SOPA/PIPA, as we’re know there are many that we’ve missed.
