MPAA Slams SOPA Protests, Says Blackout Day Is a Stunt
The big news today is that a large number of websites are joining a scheduled blackout (called Blackout Day by many) as a sign of protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) or House Bill 3261, a piece of legislature that could have a negative impact by expanding the ability of US law enforcement and copyright holders to fight copyright infringement. Wikipedia, Reddit, Mozilla, Minecraft, Craigslist, and Scribd are among the sites that will go black as a sign of protest.
But not everyone is opposed to SOPA and a supporter of the protests against it. Former US Senator and current Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) feels strongly against the protests. In a statement released on Tuesday, January 17th, he said the protests are PR stunts and an abuse of power. Check out his complete statement after the break.
Chriss Dodd’s official statement on the scheduled blackout numerous sites are taking part in ( to protest against SOPA:
“Only days after the White House and chief sponsors of the legislation responded to the major concern expressed by opponents and then called for all parties to work cooperatively together, some technology business interests are resorting to stunts that punish their users or turn them into their corporate pawns, rather than coming to the table to find solutions to a problem that all now seem to agree is very real and damaging.
It is an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on them for information and use their services. It is also an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today. It’s a dangerous and troubling development when the platforms that serve as gateways to information intentionally skew the facts to incite their users in order to further their corporate interests.
A so-called ‘blackout’ is yet another gimmick, albeit a dangerous one, designed to punish elected and administration officials who are working diligently to protect American jobs from foreign criminals. It is our hope that the White House and the Congress will call on those who intend to stage this “blackout” to stop the hyperbole and PR stunts and engage in meaningful efforts to combat piracy.”
But not everyone is opposed to SOPA and a supporter of the protests against it. Former US Senator and current Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) feels strongly against the protests. In a statement released on Tuesday, January 17th, he said the protests are PR stunts and an abuse of power. Check out his complete statement after the break.
Chriss Dodd’s official statement on the scheduled blackout numerous sites are taking part in ( to protest against SOPA:
“Only days after the White House and chief sponsors of the legislation responded to the major concern expressed by opponents and then called for all parties to work cooperatively together, some technology business interests are resorting to stunts that punish their users or turn them into their corporate pawns, rather than coming to the table to find solutions to a problem that all now seem to agree is very real and damaging.
It is an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on them for information and use their services. It is also an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today. It’s a dangerous and troubling development when the platforms that serve as gateways to information intentionally skew the facts to incite their users in order to further their corporate interests.
A so-called ‘blackout’ is yet another gimmick, albeit a dangerous one, designed to punish elected and administration officials who are working diligently to protect American jobs from foreign criminals. It is our hope that the White House and the Congress will call on those who intend to stage this “blackout” to stop the hyperbole and PR stunts and engage in meaningful efforts to combat piracy.”
