The Internet Isn’t Just Pipes; It’s a Belief System That Is Threatened

A fight is developing over two bills in Congress that are backed by media and content companies–and that threaten free speech on the Web

"The bills would empower the attorney general to create a blacklist of sites to be blocked by Internet service providers, search engines, payment providers and advertising networks, all without a court hearing or a trial. … the intention is not the same as China’s Great Firewall, a nationwide system of Web censorship, but the practical effect could be similar." Rebecca MacKinnon, a former CNN reporter and co-founder of the Global Voices project at the Harvard Berkman Center for Internet & Society

By Mathew Ingram

Full Story: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/the-internet-isnt-just-pipes-its-a-belief-system-11162011.html

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Chief Sponsor Wavers on Web Censorship Bill in Charged Hearing

Legislation that would prevent Americans from visiting websites the government claims are violating copyright rules had a tumultuous first hearing Wednesday, with its main sponsor unexpectedly expressing reservations over the bill’s scope.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), one the chief sponsors of the bill, expressed uncertainty over allowing the Justice Department to obtain court orders demanding that American ISPs prevent users from visiting blacklisted websites. ISPs receiving such orders would have to alter records in the net’s system for looking up website names, known as DNS.

The House bill also allows the Justice Department to order search sites like Google to remove an allegedly “rogue” site from its search results.

“I’m not a technical expert on this,” the chairman of the committee said, adding moments later: “I’m trying to ferret this out.” When he introduced the package last month, however, he pronounced that the bill was needed because “Rogue websites that steal and sell American innovations have operated with impunity.”

By David Kravets

Full Story: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/11/piracy-blacklisting-bill/