SOPA Protests: Results And Aftermath
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Yesterday's SOPA/PIPA protests were unprecedented -- for the first time, the Internet as a whole banded together, users and websites alike, and we flexed our collective muscles to tell the government (as Craigslist put it), "KEEP THOSE CLAMMY HANDS OFF THE INTERNET." In typical Washington fashion, several Senators and Congressional Representatives quickly changed their minds about the bills. But just how effective was all the e-complaining? Since the effort was so widespread, nailing down exact numbers is difficult, but let's take a peek at the ones we managed to dredge up.
First up, some anecdotal information: the websites of various Senators received so much Web traffic yesterday that they kept going offline under the strain.
- Wikipedia says that over 162 million people saw its anti-censorship message yesterday. In sheer, numerical terms, that's over half the population of the U.S., or as our very own Paul Lilly puts it, more than the combined population of both Iceland and Estonia.
- Google bragged that more than 7 million people signed its anti-SOPA/PIPA petition yesterday. That's not shabby; according to the infographic the search giant posted, prior to the protests only 3 million-plus folks had signed the various petitions floating around the web.
- Mozilla's blacked-out start page and social media inititatives reached 40 million people, which resulted in over 360,000 emails sent to Congress.
- The White House released a statement saying that 103,785 people had signed petitions asking President Obama to veto SOPA and the E-PARASITE (PIPA's other name) acts. Around 50k people signed each.
- According to BlackoutSOPA.org, 80,987 people changed their Twitter and Facebook pics to protest the acts.
- The Anti-SOPA page on Facebook snarfed down 78,273 Likes. Wikipedia also notes that the various anti-SOPA hashtags trended like crazy yesterday, and SOPA received over a quarter-million Tweets per hour yesterday.
- The L.A. Times reports that people sent over 350,000 emails to their representatives through FightForTheFuture, the nonprofit behind AmericanCensorship.org and SOPAStrike.com. Additionally, a full 75,000 sites registered with the group to help protest the two bills. Another 1,458,000 signed a petition at Avaaz.org.
We could keep going, but you get the point.
Yeah, but did all the e-bitching actually accomplish anything?
Yup! We told you yesterday that Representatives and Senators were already changing their positions on SOPA/PIPA, and the numbers only increased throughout the day. OpenCongress reports that 34 Senators are now on record as being opposed to PIPA, a massive jump over previous numbers.
After a quick Google search, here are the names of some representatives who leaped into the anti-SOPA/PIPA camp yesterday: Lee Terry (R-Neb.), Ben Quayle (R-Arizona), Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Scott Brown (R-Mass.), Tim Holden (D-Pennsylvania), and former heavy-duty supporter and Hollywood darling Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). Note that some of them were previously undecided about the bills. Other Senators failed to withdraw support, but instead called for a delay in PIPA's vote to give them time to further evaluate and adjust the bill.
CNET's Elinor Mills and the always-excellent Declan McCullagh covered the political fallout from the protests. Head over there for reactions from various Congressmen/women.
So, SOPA/PIPA are dead, right?
As Wikipedia puts it, "Not at all. SOPA sponsor Lamar Smith stated that the House of Representatives will push the bill forward in February. Senate sponsor Patrick Leahy still plans for a PIPA vote on January 24."
Don't lose yesterday's momentum! Keep bugging your representatives and let them know you oppose SOPA/PIPA, even if you've already done so. Phone calls have the most impact -- give them a jingle if you've only sent them a letter or signed an e-petition. Just keep the pressure going!
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h e x e n
January 20, 2012 at 6:01am
Keep up the fight guys! I've sent multiple emails, called yesterday and signed numerous petitions. Make your public representatives remember that they represent YOU, the PEOPLE, not private interests and media trolls.
Bug the living piss out of them!!!!
Zoandar
January 19, 2012 at 3:14pm
MegaUpload just got shut down this morning with some indictment accusing them of hosting pirated files. So it seems the folks behind these bills aren't waiting for their passage to act. This puts legitimate FSX scenery producer Blue Sky in a hurt. He says he doesn't know where else to distribute his product now for fear any other file share site may face the same fate, and it would take weeks for him to upload his files to another server no matter who he chose to try. I can see some legitimate vendors getting essentially put out of business because of these proceedings. But I'm sure the MPAA is drooling already.
Biceps
January 19, 2012 at 7:20pm
Drooling is probably an understatement. I bet there are a bunch of executives with their hands in their pants over this one. I think copywrite infringement is wrong, but the collateral damage that can result from these kinds of shut-downs is not negligible and is obviously not considered.
I really don't know much about Megauploads, so can't comment intelligently on whether the shutdown was 'valid'.
I wonder if it would be possible for content holders of valid content to sue the Federal gov't for destruction of property due to the shutdown? Considering that we made payouts to Iraqis when their family members became 'collateral damage' (euphemisms are more evil than the actions they disguise) might there be a case?
avenger48
January 19, 2012 at 2:58pm
The Republicans seem to be more willing to switch sides. For anyone who has a Republican senator who's in favor, call them or write and ask why they're supporting a bill which is also supported by Notable Democrats Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Al Franken, Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer, and Patrick Leahy, and is opposed by notable Republicans Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Scott Brown.
someuid
January 19, 2012 at 2:11pm
Fightforthefuture.org has pissed me off to no end. They keep spamming my personal email address even after I told them to stop. I have other email accounts for that stuff. How they found my address I do not know.
That site can go take a long walk off a short pier.
win7fanboi
January 19, 2012 at 1:58pm
BTW this happened without SOPA : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16642369
In case you needed help imagining a post-SOPA world.
timmyw
January 19, 2012 at 1:05pm
Maybe I'm just cynical, but if you read the statements of most of the politicians that changed their stance, they used like "now is not the time" or "needs a little work," none of them said "Not only no but HELL NO! I ain't gonna be Hollywood's bitch."
These bills aren't gonna die, they will just have some lipstick slapped on, be renamed, and some politician will gladly take large corporate money to re-introduce them.
Danno25002
January 20, 2012 at 3:08pm
You have to keep in mind, when it comes to signing bills, congressmen/women are no better than your average citizen at the polls. They just sign without reading because their constituents/party of choice, are backing it. What we've done here is made it popular enough for them to actually READ the effing bill before signing and give some thought to the repercussions. How many Representatives/Senators do you think "just signed" the Patriot Act without actually reading it and regretted it later? This practice happens ALL OF THE TIME in congress.
reflex99
January 19, 2012 at 2:40pm
That is exactly what we wanted them to say. I personally don't care if they want to stop piracy, that is a good an beneficial goal. However, the proposed legislation, is NOT The way to do it, which is why myself, and millions of others are protesting these two acts. I'd be perfectly fine with legislation that stops online piracy, as long as it doesn't completely SCREW OVER the internet like the SOPA/PIPA would.
timmyw
January 19, 2012 at 4:21pm
Do you honestly think politicians will address the underlying concerns with SOPA/PIPA?
Big media corporations will write it and the politicians will try to pass the same stinking mess off as the Protecting the Internet with Early Criminal Eradication Offshore and Safeguarding Homeland Internet Technology bill, more commonly known as PIECEOSHIT.
They don't want to fix the bill, they just want to vote for it when we aren't looking.
win7fanboi
January 19, 2012 at 12:26pm
There is too much at stake folks, don't stop now. Talk to non-techies and explain the impact this can have. We will need some serious grassroots opposition before it's too late. Support organizations like the EFF if you don't already!
acidic
January 20, 2012 at 5:52am
my wife said on her facebook 2 days ago, that alot of people were just finding out about all this because it was all over the news or they stated that it "wont affect me." if google, youtube, and facebook got taken off the internet immediately after the bill passed, they would have wondered how and why. im sure that people just learning about all this, were a huge chunk of those numbers but it was almost too late. i just wished that more non-techies would keep up with all the current bullshit dealing with the government on how they want to control the internet like the "great firewall of china"
Cleaver
January 19, 2012 at 12:24pm
"Google told a whole bunch of publications that over 4.5 people signed its anti-SOPA/PIPA petition yesterday."
That's almost 5 people!
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