Generally, I avoid joining protests, but occasionally there are ideas so bad that I can’t stay away. Such is the case with the Protect IP Act (PIPA) which is coming up before the Senate next week. The goal of protecting intellectual property is certainly a laudable one, but the means to achieve that goal must not come at the expense of the 1st amendment, nor should it fundamentally weaken the technological structure of the Internet. The Protect-IP bill does all of this with a vague and poorly thought-out bill.
So tomorrow, January 18th, this site will join larger organizations such as Mozilla, Wordpress and Wikipedia in a general internet blackout. I strongly suggest that you contact your Senator and express displeasure at this heavy-handed approach to IP protections. For some general background on the bill, please check out the video below: