SOPA and PIPA protests

On January 18, 2012, protests against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) were happening in the U.S. This followed smaller demonstrations in late 2011. Concerns centered on the possible infringement of online free speech and not enough protections for user-created content. Fight for the Future organized thousands of popular websites. This also included Wikipedia. This was done to protest by temporarily shutting down or redirecting messages against the bills. Over 115,000 websites were participating. The protests included physical demonstrations in several cities. This gathered global attention. Leading up to the protests, the White House stated it would not support laws that dealt with free expression. The January 18 protest saw lots of public engagement. Because of this, there were millions contacting Congress to go against the bills. Many politicians valued their support, and critics like Sir Tim Berners-Lee voiced their concerns. As of January 20, 2012, the political environment shifted, and both bills were delayed, though opponents warned they might return.

Category:2012 in the United States