Congress’ copyright protection constrains internet

The internet is sometimes considered the freest place to express oneself. Well not anymore. There are two bills that are being discussed in Congress called Protect IP Act and Stop Online Piracy Act, and their aim is to allow Media Corporations to directly interact with websites and take down any content that they feel is breaking their copyright. The Protect IP Act and Stop Piracy Act are an excuse for corporations to start a full monopoly over all the media.

When is the last time you bought a $20 CD with 12 songs on it? Probably never. That’s because early internet piracy has created competition and allowed for new easier and cheaper way to get music and movies. Things like iTunes and Netflix would have never been born if piracy had not made obtaining music and movies cheaper and more practical. Even though it might be “wrong” to pirate media, and not contribute to the multi-billion corporations’ profits, piracy is what makes media-sharing progress possible.

These two bills will also stop new websites and ideas from growing since the corporations would have the power to shut down anything that they feel is wrong. This would also bring the fastest growing business to a halt (the internet). Revolutionary websites like Facebook would no longer be able to be created because corporations will shut down any website with media that they think is inappropriate.

The bills would put a stop to media sharing and will allow the major companies to toy with all the media however they want. If you wanted to show your talent to the world and make a cover of a song, you cannot do that anymore. If you wanted to dance or make a funny video, you cannot do that, because the PIPA will allow all the corporations to directly take down your content. If anyone tries to discuss an issue and show a news video to support their argument, it could be banned because he or she does not own the copyright of the video. The government says that internet piracy is making people lose their jobs and will ruin the movie and music industry, but that is not true.

The media industry is still making billions of dollars to this day, and internet piracy is at the finest it’s ever been. The small time artists and indie directors are not affected by piracy; people do not try to illegally obtain obscure songs and movies. The PIPA and SOPA will allow companies to not only control the mainstream media but also the independent and nonmainstream media that is being produced by talented young people all over the country.