Today is the great internet blackout day, in protest of the proposed SOPA and PIPA laws winding their way through the US House and Senate respectively. I won’t go too far into detail on my thoughts on these bills other than to say they are destructive to the ability to grow innovative businesses on the internet. They strip due process from copyright infringement claims, which allows entrenched interests (such as the RIAA and MPAA, major backers of this legislation) to censor free speech and destroy fledgling businesses with innovative business models or that take advantage of new technologies. We’ve already seen widespread abuse of the DMCA by these interests, so there is absolutely no reason to believe they will use the new powers granted by SOPA and PIPA in a responsible manner.

I urge you to contact your congressional representatives today to stand in opposition to SOPA and PIPA. Let them know that you oppose these bills!