Much like Google, it’s hard to remember a life before the ease and assistance of the free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia. But in light of the recent U.S. anti-piracy laws– Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA — users will have to find other ways to get their tidbits of information. At least for a day.
Tomorrow (Jan. 18) the English version of Wikipedia will shut down for 24 hours to protest the laws that are intened to hinder the illegal download of copyrighted materials from foreign “rogue” sites like the Pirate Bay. CBS News reports there is already legislation that provides some protection for copyrighted material which requires companies to remove copyrighted content “in good faith.”
Wikipedia will be joined by other sites including WordPress, MoveOn, Reddit, BoingBoing, Mozilla, TwitPic and the ICanHasCheezBurger network. Google, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr have all expressed their support against the bill but will not be participating in the protest.
Wikipedia said in a press release:
“Over the course of the past 72 hours, over 1,800 Wikipedians have joined together to discuss proposed actions that the community might wish to take against SOPA and PIPA. This is by far the largest level of participation in a community discussion ever seen on Wikipedia, which illustrates the level of concern that Wikipedians feel about this proposed legislation.”
MoveOn’s Executive Director Justin Ruben released this statement backing their involvement:
“Congress is playing fast and loose with Internet censorship legislation that would have people like Justin Bieber thrown in jail for uploading a video to YouTube. The Internet censorship legislation could severely restrict free speech, and put a stranglehold on one of the most innovative, job-creating industries of our time.
It is estimated that Wikipedia’s English version has 3.8 million pages alone and receives 25 million average daily visitors globally.