January 18, 2012 will be best remembered for the “blacking out of the web” as several of the core business of the Internet have either decided to blackout the site (e.g. reddit.com) or black out their logo (e.g. google.com). The focus of the black out has been the Stop Online Piracy Act or SOPA, the Protect IP Act of 2011 or PIPA and the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act or OPEN. The problem with all of these bills comes down to one repeating issues associated with piracy. An action designed to prevent piracy does little to stop the textbook definitions of piracy and does more to harm the everyday customers.

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