Wikipedia founder defends SOPA blackout; Twitter has other protest plans in the works. After announcing yesterday that Wikipedia will join other websites in a January 18 blackout to protest the SOPA piracy bill, founder Jimmy Wales has explained his reasoning further to fend off criticism. Meanwhile, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo (pictured) caught flack last night when he seemingly criticized Wikipedia’s blackout decision, only to clarify his position later. Twitter won’t be blacking out its service, but Costolo says he has something else planned to protest SOPA and its sister bill PIPA. “The general sentiment seemed to be that US law, as it impacts the internet, can affect everyone,” Wales told the Telegraph in an interview this morning.
“As for me, what I am hoping is that people outside the US who have friends or family who are voters in the US, will ask them to make a call to their senator or representative, and I hope we send a broad global message that the internet as a whole will not tolerate censorship in response to mere allegations of copyright infringement.”
Google to protest SOPA on its homepage tomorrow. SOPA initiative/Take action. This page is for taking action against SOPA/PIPA and for background information. Read more about the blackout in the community announcement and in Sue Gardner's blog post. If you're in the US: Take action and tell your elected officials you oppose SOPA/PIPA[edit] The Wikipedia community has decided to blackout the English version of Wikipedia for 24 hours in protest of proposed legislation — the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the PROTECTIP Act (PIPA) in the U.S. Senate — that, if passed, will harm the free and open Internet.
These bills endanger free speech both in the United States and abroad, potentially setting a frightening precedent of Internet censorship for the world. But you don't have to wait until the 18th to voice your concerns! Take action now by calling your US Representative and Senators (If you have any problems with the link above, click here) For maximum impact, please consider calling your U.S.
Introduction Regarding censorship. English Wikipedia anti-SOPA blackout. English Wikipedia anti-SOPA blackout From the Wikimedia Foundation Jump to: navigation, search To: English Wikipedia Readers and Community From: Sue Gardner, Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director Date: January 16, 2012 Today, the Wikipedia community announced its decision to black out the English-language Wikipedia for 24 hours, worldwide, beginning at 05:00 UTC on Wednesday, January 18 (you can read the statement from the Wikimedia Foundation here).
The blackout is a protest against proposed legislation in the United States – the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. This will be the first time the English Wikipedia has ever staged a public protest of this nature, and it’s a decision that wasn’t lightly made. It is the opinion of the English Wikipedia community that both of these bills, if passed, would be devastating to the free and open web. In making this decision, Wikipedians will be criticized for seeming to abandon neutrality to take a political position. Make your voice heard! Obama Administration Responds to We the People Petitions on SOPA and Online Piracy. Etats-Unis : la Maison Blanche et un jour noir contre « Sopa »